


Oblivious Idiots

by MEJohansson



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), F/F, F/M, Fluff, I Don't Even Know, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Pining Shiro (Voltron), SLOW AF, Slow Build, figuring out their lives, i really like hunk and keith together so youre welcome, this is like after college and just trying their best to not end up poor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-04-24 18:39:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14361297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MEJohansson/pseuds/MEJohansson
Summary: When Lance comes to Shiro's apartment late one night asking for a place to move in, Shiro doesn't know how to say no. So he says yes, and the next day Lance moves in. The catch; Shiro has a stuido apartment, meaning only one bed. The second catch; he's been in love with Lance for the last two years and he knows this will only make matters worse.Kinda based of off how Joey fell in love with Rachel when Rach was pregnant in Friends, but it soon turned into smth else, but it's the inspiration source. And it's aged up characters, Shiro is 28 and Lance is 25, and the rest of the gang is somewhere along those lines as well. Only one still in college is Pidge.





	1. Prologue; SHIRO

**Author's Note:**

> okay, so this isn't done yet, thought I said I would finish it before i posted I just got really sad and wanted to cheer myself up by posting this. Hope you all like it and love it, and remember that I suck at romance so this is just bullshit. 
> 
> thanks for reading, and please hit me up with request for drabbles or a story idea.

When Shiro gets home, he does the same thing every evening. He unlocks the door, kicks off his shoes (they can be anywhere the next morning when he needs them again) and then drops his bag by the couch. Usually, he lets out a groan before making his way to the bathroom to take a much needed shower. 

He has a routine there as well. It consists of making sure the water is cold, not thinking about a certain someone, and massaging his stump―another story for another time; just know it involves an accident that might not have been an accident.

Today, Shiro studies himself in the mirror as he dries his hair. The white forelock sticks out from under the towel, but he doesn’t care. Instead, he tries to find out what makes him handsome (or hot, as he hears quite so often). The scar across the bridge of his nose isn’t exactly pretty―a result from the same accident as his stump―and the white forelock had always seemed a bad idea, yet he still liked it. He had muscles (everyone does, weird thing to think), but his were visible through the tight t-shirt and training thighs he used at the gym. 

Maybe that was why he got an average of three girls asking for his number in a day. There were some men, too, every now and then. But it got less and less frequent, despite Shiro accepting some of those (most of the guys were hot, and with Shiro being gay, it makes them hard to turn down). 

With a resigned sigh and a shrug, he puts on a pair of sweatpants. Nothing more, comfortable enough with his body and the warm air of his apartment to walk around with nothing more. He did though, slip into a pair of soft slippers. 

He makes dinner; warms leftovers from yesterday when he’d bought the ‘Dinner of The Day’ at Balmera Brew & Stew (or BBS as Lance liked to shorten it). 

The doorbell rings at the same time as the microwave. Shrio takes the plate out first, cursing from how hot it is. He rushes to the door, and forgetting he doesn’t have a shirt on, opens it. 

Lance stands on the other side. He looks down on his shoes and bites his lip, and slowly he tilts his head up to meet Shiro’s frown. Shiro has no idea what his colleague and friend does standing on the other side of the door. The clock is almost ten pm, and Lance knows, probably better than anyone, that Shiro goes to bed around ten thirty. 

“Hi,” says Shiro, not sure what else to say. He opens the door wider, letting Lance come inside. Lance takes the offer, but he still doesn’t say anything. 

Shiro decides not to pry, and goes back into the tiny corner he calls a kitchen to get his food. Lance will talk eventually, he just needs time. 

He’s almost finished with his dinner when Lance starts to talk. “Okay, so here’s the thing,” he says, and Shiro can see Lance take a deep breath and steady himself before he continues, “I… got thrown out of my apartment. Rolo got a new boyfriend or girlfriend, whatever. And, I asked Hunk, but he and Keith lives together and I don’t really want to intrude or anything, and I don’t want to intrude on you either but I was wondering if I could hog your couch or something.” 

Something tears at Shiro’s heart as Lance continues to ramble on and on about how sorry he is to put this on Shiro, but that he didn’t feel like he could go to anyone else. He can feel his heart tear into smaller pieces, and his gut churnes. 

How the hell can Shiro tell him no? 

He can’t. He knows he can’t. Despite that being the only thing he should do.

He’s been in love with Lance for over two years now. They met for the first time when Lance was a college student, studying dance and working part-time on Balmera Brew & Stew, where Shiro frequently went either for dinner or for a morning coffee after his run. Lance had always had morning shifts, always been there to come with some type of flirting comment that at first had done nothing to Shiro, but suddenly meant the world. 

After knowing Lance for a few years, he helped him get a job as a dance instructor at Voltrain where Shiro worked himself. He had done it as a friend, and he had done it for his crush. 

And now, the crush is bigger than before and all Shiro can do is stare at the beautiful male in front of him asking him for a place to stay. 

“―nd I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t get a place to stay, or if I’ll end up going home. Like, Keith likes me enough I guess and he’s good for Hunk so I’m not gonna say anything but still, I can’t just intrude on their love life when I know I don’t want to hear them have sex and shit yet I know it’ll happen and you live alone so like, no problem right? And I probably won’t always be here either, ‘cause I go on dates, and those girls or boys will probably want me over and the―” 

“Lance!” Shiro takes a step towards Lance. He tries to give a reassuring smile. “You can stay, no problem. But take my bed, okay? I’ll sleep on the couch.” 

Lance’s eyes widens then, and he squints at Shiro. “No! I really appreciate you letting me stay, but I can’t take your bed. Seriously, I can’t.” 

“Well, I can’t have a guest on my couch,” says Shiro. He shrugs and put the plate he used in the sink (he’ll wash it later). “Not something I like to have on my conscience.”

“But I can’t take your bed from you! Oh my God, Shiro, think of yourself for once,” says Lance and then he turns to the door. “Think about it, or we’ll have to compromise, I guess. I’ll be here between work tomorrow with my stuff. Don’t worry, it’s not a lot.”

Before Shiro can really argue about it more, the other boy is out the door and out of sight. What kind of compromise does he think Shiro can possibly make? He would give Lance everything he had, that included his bed. 

What he really wants is to share a bed with Lance, but he knows that won’t happen. Shiro lets out a sigh, drags a hand through his hair and goes to sleep with his mind racing every possible way. For once, he was glad he had the morning so he could sleep a little longer. 

Shiro enteres Balmera Brew & Stew on light feet a couple of hours later than usual. He expects the beaming smile Lance sends him as he the bell chimes, and his heart makes a sound knowing that smile is meant for him. 

“You’re late,” Lance says as Shiro comes up to the counter. There’s a small pout on Lance’s lips that has Shiro swallow not to say something stupid. 

“Hello to you too,” he replies. “Can you put in a cupcake? In my usual order?” 

Lance acts shocked. “Takashi Shirogane? Eating a cupcake?” He puts a hand over his mouth, and Shiro rolls his eyes at the behavior. “Sure, what flavor?” 

“Uhh… what’s good?” Shiro hasn’t eaten cupcakes for several years, and never has he tasted one at Balmera Brew & Stew, despite knowing how well Hunk cooks and bakes. 

“Everyone,” Lance says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “But I recommend the vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting and a surprise on the inside, or the red velvet one with chocolate frosting, or the strawberry one with chocolate frosting and raspberry sprinkle.” 

Shiro blinks, because that’s more than he manages to get. Admittedly, he had stared very much at Lance. His beautiful face; the freckles over his nose, the clear ocean blue of his eyes, the soft kissable lips, and the smile that reaches his eyes and makes Shiro’s heart beat faster.

“―all three and you only have to pay for one. You need to taste them, and I can eat the rest should it be a problem,” Lance says and long fingers type in the order. Shiro tries to hold back a groan as he sees the sum. 

He has the money, but that doesn’t mean he feels good using it. “Okay, that’ll be fourteen dollars,” Lance says, and Shiro has already pulled a twenty from his wallet that he holds out for Lance. 

“Keep the change,” he says. 

Lance lets out a sigh, and gives Shiro a resigned look. “I know you say that because you want me to get tips, to earn more. But I can’t take your money Shiro. Not six dollars. I’m not a charity.”

“No, I don’t mean―”

“Shiro! I know you mean well, but you don’t make that much at Voltrain. Allura has said you boost membership, and it’s easy to see why, but you don’t make that much all the same and therefore, considering I’m also gonna take up your space I definitely cannot take extra money. From someone else, yeah, but not from you.” Lance shoves the money into Shiro’s hands and then he stomps off, says something inextinguishable into the kitchen before he comes back again and starts making Shiro’s coffee. 

Shiro is quiet. He doesn’t say anything as Lance makes his coffee, not sure if he’s gonna say something stupid again, or if he might have hit one of Lance’s nerves. 

He doesn’t wait long before the cup is placed in front of him. Lance doesn’t meet his gaze, only mumbles a ‘there you go’ and then he goes back to stand by the register. Shiro sighs. For a couple of moments, he stands still, wanting to say something to Lance but not knowing what to say. 

In the end, he makes his way to a table in the back and sits down. He only waits for a few minutes before Keith walks towards him, plate in hand and a stern look. Shiro sips his coffee, knowing more is coming his way, but not wanting it to. 

Keith places the plate down on the table with more force than necessary. “I can’t believe you,” the male says and sits down in the chair opposite of the one Shiro sits in. “You said yes?! What the fuck were you thinking?” 

“Uh… I wasn’t?” Shiro picks up his fork to poke at his food. He still hasn’t gotten those cupcakes, and right now, he wishes he had. 

“You thought it would be a good opportunity, I’m guessing. You were thinking about Lance, and how you have zero space for another person. Seriously, you have no idea how much stuff Lance has. I don’t even think half of it will fit in your tiny studio apartment.” Keith shakes his head, lets out a resigned sigh and looks Shiro straight in the eyes. “Think it over. Hunk and I have an extra bed, we have the space. And it’ll strain you more than you think, and you know why.” 

Keith stands up. He gives Shiro one last look, and walks off. 

It doesn’t take long for Lance to arrive. He carries a plate of cupcakes, puts it down on Shiro’s table and sits down in the chair Keith had used. 

“It’s my break. I want cupcakes. Taste, and tell me which I can have.” Lance smiles with it, but it is easy to notice that it doesn’t reach his eyes. 

Shiro does as told. The strawberry with chocolate frosting and raspberry sprinkle becomes his favorite, and he tells Lance he can take the other two. 

“Now, what’s going on?” The cupcakes are almost done. Shrio used no time on his, but Lance devours each one with finesse and to make sure he tastes every single bite. As he asks, Shiro puts a mouthgul of food into his mouth. 

“What do you mean?” Lance asks. He takes another bite of the cupcake. 

“You changed your mood really quickly. Did I say something wrong? Did I do something wrong? If I did, I’m sorry,” Shiro says. He takes another bite of food. 

“No, you didn’t do anything. Really, it’s… it’s me. I don’t have that much money, I have debt to pay of and neither of my jobs really pay what I need in a month, put together. And now, I feel bad because I’m gonna be hogging your apartment, and it’s not even that big in the first place.” Lance tries to smile, but it appears strained. 

Shiro smiles. He kind of wants to laugh, but he doesn’t. Lance feels this strongly, and Shiro can’t laugh when he knows that will make him feel as though his feelings are invalid, or stupid. 

“You have nothing to worry about. My apartment may not be big, but it’s big enough. I thought about it, and I was thinking we share the bed. One night I lie there and you on the couch, and the next night we switch. Don’t worry about money, seriously. Don’t,” Shiro says. 

Lance’s face breaks into an enormous smile. He doesn’t say anything, which makes Shiro twice as nervous as he already is, but Lance smiles so big Shiro isn’t sure he can take it. He doubts he could manage to focus on anything Lance would have said either because pain sears through his heart knowing that smile is for him, but for another reason than the one he wishes. 

“I’ll be by with my stuff in about two hours.” Lance stands up, the smile still wide on his face. “See you then?” 

“Yeah,” Shiro replies. “Do you need any help? With your things I mean?” 

Lance’s smile dies down to a more amused one. “I won’t say no to help, but it’s not really needed. Sure you have the time?” 

“Yeah, I’m sure. My shifts starts at three and it’s noon.” He returns Lance’s smile, and gets a thumbs up. 

Shiro’s shifts at Voltrain vary from day to day. He instructs some ‘classes’ every day, and he has time to have private lessons with anyone who wants. Sometimes he uses his time constructing a workout routine for someone who asks. 

Nevertheless, there are always those times where he has a little free. There is no real need for him anywhere, and usually he goes and has his own workout. It is required of any instructor to train so and so much, but Shiro trains a lot already. 

Today, he asked Lance when he had a class, and his new roommate (gonna take a while to get used to) had said around seven. The clock ticks away and it reaches seven around the time Allura tells him to take a break. 

“Come on, Shiro. Sit down and relax for a minute. Just sit by the reception and look good, I need nothing more of you,” she jokes, a smile tugs at her lips. 

“I don’t need a break. You have to have something I can do,” he tells her. He hates just sitting around doing nothing. 

Allura sighs. She shakes her head and Shiro notices she’s put on her thinking face. “Okay, then go to one of the classes. Lance hasn’t started his yet, or I believe Coran is currently teaching martial arts. There is many options other than sitting around, but you still need that break. How you use it is up to you, okay?” 

He can’t protest before she walks away. He shakes his head, and makes a quick decision to go into Lance’s class. He’s never been a good dancer, and he doesn’t really want to make a fool of himself. Nevertheless, he does want to see Lance dance. 

Inside the room, there’s mostly women. Shiro notices Lance at the front, fixing his microphone and then he goes around to pick up the ‘notes’ that says you can be in the class. Shiro doesn’t have one, but Lance just raises a brow and almost laughs seeing him there, ignoring the fact that he didn’t think that long. 

When Lance is done, he picks his spot in the middle closest to the mirror―also what Shiro calls the front. He smiles at the class. “Okay, guys. Most of you are regulars and know these dances, but I see some new faces and that’s always cool,” Lance says and beams a smile at the crowd. “Just remember to let loose, don’t bother to copy my every step because what I do is mostly as suggestion for you. Don’t think about the person next to you and just enjoy yourselves. The most important part of dancing is to enjoy yourself.”

Next, the music starts and Shiro blinks because everything happens too fast. He tires to follow Lance, unable to take his eyes of the male as he moves with a grace and flow Shiro wouldn’t think possible for such a lanky and clumsy boy. 

_ Okay _ , he tells himself. 

One leg up there. A hand there. Another leg. Step right. Step left. Cross step. Jazz hands.  _ No, shit, wrong move _ . Step, step, step, jump… 

He fails miserably, and is so very happy he stands in the back. Yet, Lance notices him. “Okay, guys, keep going. You’re doing great.” Everyone except Shiro, yeah, they are doing great. Lance seems to have caught onto that too, as the male is suddenly besides Shiro, an amused smile on his face. 

Lance gestures for Shiro to follow his moves. He takes it slow at first, and Shiro manages the first few steps and then Lance kicks up the pace a little, and despite it still not being the actual rhythm of the song, Shiro messes up. It’s impossible to miss the purse of Lance’s lips as the male tries to keep from laughing. Shiro gives him a look, but Lance makes his way to the front again. 

It continues like that for the most part. Shiro keeps messing up. Lance doesn’t come to help him anymore, put Shiro notices the looks the male sends every time Shiro fails. He tries to not curse every time he meets Lance’s look in the mirror. 

He knows he looks hilarious. He knows he can’t dance. He knows he only went there to try and watch Lance move graciously (which he does). He knows it was the biggest mistake of his life and it will probably result in Lance telling their shared group of friends and teasing him about it for the rest of their lives. 

Yet, Shiro stays through the whole class. He wants to die when the hour is up. Of course, he doesn’t really get far since he doesn’t get out of the room. He watches Lance smile and talk to some of the women in there. He feels his heart break seeing Lance smile as one of them flirts with him. 

And he jumps when someone taps his shoulder. The woman is pretty, he can’t say anything against it. She has long hair, tied into to pigtails that stand out. She’s tall, and Shiro knows by the smile she sends him what she’ll say. 

“I was wondering something,” she says, a glint in her eyes Shiro recognizes from multiple other attempts. “Any possibility I can teach you how to dance? Or maybe we can talk. Over coffee?” 

Shiro shoots her a smile. “Sorry, very sorry. But you’re not my type,” he replies. It’s the same line he always uses on girls. 

As with every other girl, she pries for more information. “You don’t even know me,” she says, accusation layers her voice. “Like, how can you say that without getting to know me first.” 

“Well, you’re a girl, or a woman, I guess you might prefer that. And I’m gay, so that’s a start.” He’s about to continue but the girl huffs and walks away before he can say anything else. Before he can turn around, to see if Lance still stands there, and arm makes its way around his waist. Shiro looks down to see a beaming Lance. 

“Hey,” the male says. “You’re not awful. If that helps.” The arms disappears, and Shiro misses the touch already. He likes Lance’s clinginess, how he drapes himself across anyone or anything he finds comfortable―within reasonable distance of course, can’t strain yourself more than necessary. 

“Not sure that helps, to be honest,” Shiro replies. 

Lance just laughs as they make their way out of the room. The clock has turned eight, and Shiro has a class in half an hour. For that half hour, he’ll stand in the reception, he figures. 

The two of them find Allura there, together with Matt. The latter beams at the sight, a glint of mischief in his eyes as he takes out his phone to show them something. “Okay, so I’m guessing you don’t really want to know, but still…” He hands the phone to Shiro. It stands ready to play a video. “Just press play.” 

Shiro does. 

And he wants to die. He really, really, really wants to die. 

The video is of him, mostly. It was taken in the class he was just in and he can see how bad he really is at dancing. He sees the steps he makes wrong, how much he actually did do wrong. And then Lance is by his side, trying to help him. From beside him, he hears Matt’s laughter. 

“Who took this?” Lance asks. Shiro thinks his friend found it funny as well, but when he glances over, Lance is serious. He looks straight at Matt, probably more serious than Shiro has ever seen him before. 

Matt shrugs. “I dunno. Some girl came to me with it. She said ‘show this to the hot dude that can’t dance and then tell him to think it over. He’ll know what it means’. Figured that to be you, and then I saw it and I couldn’t stop laughing. Man, you seriously can’t dance.” 

“Wait, did the girl have these pigtails? Like really high ones that look kind of uncomfortable?” Lance cocks his head, eyes trained on Matt. 

“Yeah, why?” 

Lance doesn’t answer. He walks away, though Shiro notices him picking up his phone. He frowns, and then he looks at Matt who puts up his arms in defense. 

“What’s with the pigtail girl?” Matt puts down his arms. He leans into Shiro’s bubble a little, but Shiro’s to caught up in being confused to care. 

“I don’t know. She asked me out, I guess. Then I told her I’m gay and I’m guessing the date is what she wants me to think about, but I’m not sure exactly what’s going on other than that.” Shiro shrugs. He’s figured he does care, but he’s not sure how much. 

“Dude, you get all the girls, and you don’t even want them! That’s seriously annoying, you know that?” 

Shiro raises a brow. “You have a girlfriend,” he points out. 

“You do, Matt. Though don’t worry, not like anyone else can really beat me,” Allura chimes in from where she stands behind the counter. 

Matt lets out a sigh. He walks over to where Allura stands and gives her a peck on the cheek. “Oh, how much I love you,” he says. Shiro is pretty certain Allura smirks; she has Matt wrapped around her finger. 

“The video is deleted as soon as Matt does the same,” Lance says suddenly. Shiro whips around, face to face with Lance. His heart makes some noise in his head, telling him to just kiss Lance right there and then, but his head keeps cool and tells him how much of a bad idea that is. 

“What’s with the girl?” Matt asks. 

“We had like one date. She said something about loving me so much my bisexuality would vanish, or something. Really homophobic, and kinda obsessive. And she’s filmed in one of the classes before and I just couldn’t take it. Either we just lost a customer, or I at least lost one of the people coming to my classes because she told me, very explicitly, to go to hell. I used the nicer form to say that, by the way.” Lance adds a shrug. There’s something else, Shiro knows there’s something else, but he doesn’t pry. Though, if there’s one thing he knows; Matt will not delete the video. For Matt, it’s the perfect blackmail. 

“You okay, man?” Matt asks. 

Lance nods. “Just tired. Really looking forward to sleeping on a couch, you know.” Shiro knows it’s a joke. He also knows there’s more truth there than Lance likes to admit. 

“You can have the bed if you want,” Shiro says. Lance meets his gaze, a quiet thank you placed there and Shiro looks away before he gets lost in those pretty ocean eyes, that carries the world and more. 

He goes to his class with another shard of his heart hanging by a loose thread. It’s inevitable that everything will shatter, but Shiro can’t get enough of Lance at all. It probably wasn’t a good idea to let Lance stay with him, but Shiro has no regrets.


	2. Week One; LANCE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the first week of Lance and Shiro's new arrangment... it's pretty evident Lance is clueless, and he seems to thrive by getting some dates.

Two days.

Two days Lance had lived with Shiro, and every fucking day was the same. Lance’s only thoughts were about how boring Shiro’s life was. He got up, he went for a run, he went to the coffee shop, he went home, he went to work, he went home and then to bed.

Lance keeps thinking that as he walks to the studio apartment after his shift at the Balmera Brew & Stew. He carries with him leftovers from the dinner special of the day―it’s not yet evening, really it’s like three, but there is always something to bring home.

Lance figured out during work that he would ask Shiro to watch a movie, do something other than just work and be bored. He walks into the apartment, kicks of his shoes and puts the food down on the tiny kitchen counter.

The TV is on, but Shiro isn’t anywhere Lance can see, meaning he’s in a bathroom. The apartment’s only got one other room other than the one room everything happens in, which is the bathroom, making that the only plausible option as to where Shiro’s whereabouts are.

He slumps down on the couch as he has the chance. Lance thought Shiro to be almost as broke as him, but it turns out, the older has been able to afford a lot more things than Lance has through the years. He has the softest bed; it’s kind of hard but a nice hard so that it’s comfortable but you don’t sink right into it. He has the comfiest couch, much the same as the bed but with a silkier feeling―seriously, Lance doesn’t mind sleeping on it. And he has a nice little chair that’s placed in one of the corners with a lamp above it, which is seriously the coziest spot every. Lance never really reads, but that place goes as much for talking to his mom as it does reading.

Lance could not have found a better place to be whilst getting back on his feet. Hopefully he would get enough money to rent a place of his own, and hope that it could be half as nice as Shiro’s because _damn_ had the male done everything to make sure he got the most of such little space.

“When’d you come home?”

Lance turns around to find Shiro in only sweatpants. Drops of water tickles down the side of his face from hair that hasn’t yet dried, and the white forelock Lance has come to love rests neatly against Shiro’s forehead. He swallows a lump at the sight of Shiro’s bare torso. He hasn’t really given it much thought (beside the obvious), but he does have to admit that, yup, Shiro is _fucking hot_.

“Like, a couple of minutes ago,” he replies, though he never meets Shiro’s eyes. _Seriously Lance, it’s rude to stare_. But he can’t help it. He saw the same body three days ago when Shiro opened the door to a frantic Lance, but he didn’t have the time to take a moment to appreciate it. Now that Lance does, he wishes he doesn’t.

Shiro lets out a laugh. “You know, a picture lasts longer.” And then he turns away and Lance fights the blush that creeps to his cheeks. Did Shiro flirt? Or did he just joke? Lance doesn’t know what to think, but he guesses the last one. He does hope he gets to see a new side of Shiro living with him, but Lance has to admit that’s the first the male has let slip.

Moments later, Shiro lifts Lance’s legs to sit down in the couch. He doesn’t tell Lance to pull his feet to him, instead they rest in Shiro’s lap. Lance doesn’t mind.

“So, you wanna watch a movie?” Lance asks. It’s what he told himself to do, what he told himself he had to do if there would be any change in the routine Shiro had.

“Yeah, sure. What do you wanna watch?” Shiro picks up the remote, switching the source so that the TV flares with _no source_. He gets up and fiddles with his laptop before it is, eventually, plugged into the TV.

That’s when Lance realises, that Shiro can afford the luxuries of Netflix. The jealousy rises in him, but he holds it down. At least now he can maybe get the password and watch something himself. Hopefully, Shiro allows him that.

They scroll past most of what they see, not being able to agree on which movie they want to watch. Shiro keeps coming with recommendations, and most Lance asks to watch, Shiro’s already seen.

In the end, they start the movie _The Fundamentals of Caring_ , which Lance actually likes. He sits through it with an uneasy feeling, like he doesn’t know if he really likes it or not, but when it’s over, he suddenly knows he likes it. It’s a weird feeling, but he doesn’t know how else to describe it.

Checking the clock, it’s only seven pm. Time for a shower, he thinks. He gets up, tells Shiro as much and brings with him a pair of sweats, a sweater and underwear into the bathroom.

He stands under the warm water until his fingers turns into raisins. There is something nice about it, something good about the shower that Lance can’t get himself to step out. It’s quiet, and it allows time to think. Usually, he misses Cuba and the ocean. He misses home, really.

And he does that today, too. He misses being on the beach with his family, pulling pranks on his younger brother Marco, and having nice chats about boys and girls with his sister Veronica, and those moments when his oldest brother Luis accepted that he wanted to play video games with him and his friends. He misses his _abuela_ , and his _mamá_ , and his aunts and uncles, and cousins.

Lance knows he stays in the shower long to hide the tears that runs down his cheeks. It’s probably normal to cry when you miss home, when you neither have the money to go back, nor feel you have gotten success you told everyone you would get. He knows it will take more time to get back to his family, and he knows he’ll make it. But it has been more than five years since he saw any of them in real life and not through the screen of his laptop. That is more than long enough to cry missing his _abuela_ ’s hugs, and his mom’s reassuring words, and his families loud parties.

He wipes away his tears before he gets out. His eyes are bloodshot from crying, and he does his best to blink away the redness. Most of it will go away during his after-shower routine, that being almost as long as his _long_ showers.

Lance uses his time, and about forty-five minutes later, he’s out of the bathroom to find Shiro asleep on the couch. Now, it was Shiro’s turn to use to couch, but Lance still feels bad for him when the man clearly is exhausted.

Unfortunately, Lance isn’t strong enough to carry Shiro to the bed, so instead he finds a blanket to cover him with before he goes into the reading nook to video-chat with his mom. He finds himself glancing over at Shiro on the couch as the video connects.

 _Cute_ , he thinks.

Lance likes working at Balmera Brew & Stew. He gets free food every now and then, and he gets free coffee sometimes but not as much as he would like, though he understands why. And on top of it all, it’s a popular place for college students to stop by either before or after class.

Some of the regulars are actually good-looking. And some of them are annoying friends of his that he loves but _seriously Pidge, do you have to?_

Tuesdays is the day he knows Pidge has a class that’s done at eleven thirty. The girl makes a stop by the BBS around noon. The bell rings the exact time Lance counted it to, and in she comes. She smiles at Lance, but doesn’t say anything about the very hot girl she has in tow behind her.

“Hey, Lance,” she says in her usual monotone voice.

“Hey,” Lance replies. “The usual?” He tries to make eye contact with the girl behind, and when he does he smiles and winks at her, and his gaze lingers enough to know it caused a blush.

Pidge turns around without answering his question. “You want anything?” she asks the girl.

“I can pay for myself,” she says. “Just order what you want.”

Lance bites down on his lower lip, afraid something he doesn’t want to slip, will. Instead he takes a deep breath, and leans on the counter. “You gonna introduce me to your friend?” he asks.

“Oh, yeah, sure.” Pidge nods. “Lance, this is Plaxum. Plaxum, this is Lance. And I’ll take the usual, yeah.” She adds it with a shrug, and Lance wonders if the two of them really are friends.

“You can call me Plax,” Plaxum says. “Nice to meet you.”

He types in Pidge’s order as he looks up at the girl. “Nice to meet you, too.” He gives her a flirty smile back. Then turns to Pidge again. “That’ll be four sixty five.”

“Keep the change,” Pidge says and hands him a five. Lance gladly keeps the change.

“What can I get you?” he asks Plax and the girl blushes. He shoots her another smile, because this seems to be going well.

The girl looks at the menu board behind him, cocking her head in a cute gesture as she thinks. “I’ll have a medium mocha frappuccino,” she says eventually.

Lance punches in the order, and then he smiles. “That’ll be three twenty five, and your number,” Lance says.

The blush that comes into her cheeks tells Lance he did that right. She gives him the money, and then looks like she contemplates his number.

Then; “you have a pen?”

Lance does, and she writes the number down on a napkin that Lance tucks safely into his pocket. He just really hopes she actually wrote her number, and not a fake one.

He goes on to making the drinks, which doesn’t take that much time. After that, Keith comes and tells him to take a little break and that he’ll ‘man’ the register. Lance smiles, and decides to go and sit down with Pidge and Plax.

Pidge groans, but Plax smiles. Lance is ninety percent sure she wrote her actual number.

 

“So, I can get Friday night off?”

Allura sighs and makes a gesture of defeat Lance can’t describe. She opens her mouth to say something, and Lance expects her to. But then she closes it again, and looks like she needs to contemplate a little more.

“Come on, Lura. You know I haven’t had a date in months.” Lance tries. For the first time in three months he managed to score a date. Plax agreed to go out with him on Friday, and he wants this date to happen.

“You don’t have any classes, so I don’t have a reason for you to not be allowed the day off, but… who will you get to cover your shift? Shiro is the only other person working, but he has classes and someone needs to be down here.”

Lance bites his lip. “I don’t know. Can I recommend Keith? He never works Friday nights, and you know him, and he uses the gym often so he knows the facility,” says Lance. Keith doesn’t work there, and Lance isn’t on good terms with anyone but Shiro and Allura really. Matt’s okay, but for the most part, the dude is just there because of Allura―Matt works with technology at this firm thing Lance hasn’t bothered to find out the name of. Coran is fine, but they never really talk and Lance is afraid to ask. Other than that, Rolo works there, but Lance definitely doesn’t want to ask him for a favor. The other few he knows works there, he doesn’t even remember the names of.

“Keith? You want to ask someone who does not work here to cover your shift?” When Allura says it like that, it sounds ridiculous.

“I don’t know,” Lance replies. “I just don’t know who to ask. Can you do it? You’re here every day either way, right?”

Allura sighs, but she nods. “Okay, I’ll cover your shift. You are right, I will be here either way. Just know that you’ll have to work extra some time soon. You don’t work on Sunday morning? What about then?”

Lance nods. “Yeah, sure. I have a night shift at Balmera Brew & Stew on Sunday, so that can go.”

“Perfect. From eight to three then?”

He nods.

From there, he feels a little down having to work much on Sunday, but he doesn’t care. He would have had to work another day instead either way, and as soon as possible might be just what he needs.

As Lance walks away, making himself ready for a dance class, he can’t help but think that Allura seemed reluctant to let him have the night off. It’s probably nothing, he tells himself as he walks into the room.

He leaves the door open, the clock only being six forty-something. He had about fifteen minutes before the class and some people like coming early. In the mirror, he sees Shiro walk past the door. Something tugs at Lance’s lips seeing the older.

A moment later, Shiro comes in.

“Gonna try one more time?” Lance asks. He shoots Shiro an amused smile.

“I don’t think so, no. I got enough by failing once.” Shiro laughs. “No, I came to ask when you’re done for the night. I was thinking stopping by Balmera Brew & Stew before they close to get some dinner and… do you want some? And like, if you’re done before me could you possibly pick it up. Keith said they’ll keep the doors open some more if I have to, but Hunk wants to go home early apparently.”

 _Oh_ , Lance thinks. The happiness that had bubbled in him vanished. For some reason, he had hoped Shiro would stay the class.

“I’m done at ten, as are you, right? We can just pick it up together?”

Shiro nods. “Sounds great.”

 

“Wow!”

Lance turns around hearing Shiro’s voice. He had been watching himself in the mirror. Makeup on point, skinny jeans and tight shirt fitting perfectly. Lance is happy with his look, and hearing Shiro approve makes him smile.

“You look... “ Shrio pauses, his dark grey eyes dancing over Lance’s body. When he gets out the word he’s looking for, his voice is a hoarse whisper. “ _...great._ ”

The sound makes Lance swallow. He doesn’t know why hearing that from Shiro means so much, but it does. He smiles wider. “Really?”

Shiro nods. “Really.” Then he frowns. “You have a date or something?”

“Yeah. I do,” Lance says with a sheepish smile. He expects Shiro to smile, to tell him to _go get some_ (though not with those words) and to ask who. But Shiro doesn’t. Shiro lets out a quiet _oh_ that makes something hurt inside Lance.

As if someone told Shiro he couldn’t react that way, Shiro shoots him a half-hearted smile. “Who?” he asks

Lance decides not to say anything about Shiro’s behavior, and rather answers the question. “Her name’s Plax. Met her at BBS on Tuesday and asked her out.”

Something flickers across Shiro’s face, makes the scar stand out more, and Lance finds he doesn’t really want to talk to Shiro about the date. “You’re working, right?”

“Yeah… You want me to―” Shiro stops, but Lance knows what he’ll ask.

“No! No, seriously. It’s the first date, and this is first and foremost your apartment.” Lance raises his brow at Shiro, because, seriously, what does the guy think of him?

Shiro shakes his head. “Sorry, I… you have fun, okay? I’m just gonna get my bag and then head over to work.” He gives Lance another half-hearted smile, which Lance returns.

Still, he goes to pick up Plax with an uneasy feeling.

 

Lance knows he didn’t go to sleep in the bed, so when he wakes up there, he has no idea how he got there. He scrambles out of bed, suddenly wide awake though not sure why.

He hears the TV and the beat of his heart slows as he sees the back of Shiro’s head. Lance walks with slow steps towards the couch, and cringes when the floorboard creaks. Shiro’s head turns.

“Oh, you’re up. I wanted to use the TV but couldn’t with you on the couch, so I carried you to the bed,” he says. The casualty in his voice throws Lance off. First of, _oh my God, the dude doesn’t just look strong, he_ is _strong_. Second, Lance doesn’t know how to react to that knowledge at all.

“There’s scrambled eggs in the kitchen,” Shiro says and makes a head gesture in the direction of their ‘kitchen’.

Shaking his head and blinking rapidly to find his sense of self, Lance walks to the counter and fixes a plate of scrambled eggs. He takes out a glass from the cupboard, and finding orange juice in the fridge, he pours that in. It’s not exactly the most good-looking breakfast, but Lance never expected Shiro to even make him any.

He slumps down on the couch where Shiro made some room. Being comfortable enough, Lance digs in. It tastes good, not Hunk-good, but good all the same. He finishes as Shiro turns down the sound of the TV. Lance has no idea what they’re watching―some kind of reality show with some people making food was mostly what Lance bothered to figure out.

It takes a while for Shiro to actually speak, but Lance expects it. He expects the question that comes too, knowing Shiro is the kind of person to ask how a date went.

“So… how was the date? You came home pretty late, right?” Despite the trying smile that Shiro gives Lance, there’s a hint of reluctance in his voice.

Lance shrugs. “Dunno, really. It was okay, I guess. Not sure if I’m gonna ask her out again, though. It… we didn’t really have _that_ much to talk about. Turns out we don’t have much in common.” _And I kept thinking about you during it all_.

He hadn’t managed to get the hurt that crossed Shiro’s face when Lance confirmed he was going on a date out of his mind. There was something there, that Lance still couldn’t find out why was there, but something that had made him not want to go. He had had a good time, of course. Plax was kind and really nice, and she had some really funny stories, but Lance couldn’t shake the feeling he’d done something to hurt Shiro, and that had sat with him through the whole of it.

“I’m sorry,” Shiro says, and Lance’s heart squeezes by a hand that locks around it. It might just be what one says to show compassion and empathy, but they way Shiro said it makes Lance feels as though Shiro thought it was his fault.

“Plax misses out then. I’m betting you’d be a great boyfriend.”

Lance blinks. He swallows, and shakes his head. The shock must be clear, because Shiro laughs; a small, amused laugh that has Lance even more shocked. At that, Shiro just laughs louder.

“You wanna watch something?” Shiro’s change in demeanor makes Lance fumble for the right words. He cocks his head, arches a brow, not sure where Shiro is going with this. Then he nods, because what else can he do when Shiro asks him something.

“What?” Shiro asks. He hands the remote out to Lance.

Lance shakes his head. “No, why do I get to choose? You should choose.”

His roommate throws the remote at him, literally. It hit him in the head, and Lance glares at Shiro. “You choose, I’m gonna go get a beer. You want one?”

“A beer?”

“Yeah.” Shiro nods, slowly as if Lance won’t understand unless he does things as simple as possible.

“At something in the morning?”

“At one in the afternoon, on a Saturday, where I’m feeling particularly… something? Yeah.” There’s something more behind those words, another reason for Shiro wanting a beer, but Lance goes along with it.

“Okay, I’ll take one.”

They scroll through the TV program before starting with Netflix. It was on Lance’s request, as he wants to know what’s going on TV before anything else. And because it’s an old habit from _not_ having Netflix. On Netflix they scroll through a series of movies, and some TV series. Lance has to admit, not working every Saturday morning is a very good thing.

Weekends are nice. Every other Saturday, Lance switches between the morning shift and the night shift at the BBS. And every other Sunday, Lance is off work and has the whole day to himself. The thing is, that in some way, he shouldn’t be forced to work that many weekends, but he likes having something to do. He never minds being at work because he meets people, and he sees Hunk, and he gets free food. Plus, he earns money, and that is the main reason, definitely.

But an easy morning, where he can sleep in and then wake up to just relax until four. Those are his favorite. No argument there. He likes sleep. Which is probably why he falls asleep in the middle of the episode of How I Met Your Mother they end up watching.

 

Around eight pm, it’s quiet at BBS. On Saturdays, it depends whether there are people there or not. Today, there are no one. Not one living soul save Lance, is in the little café. Lance picks up his phone, scrolls around on Instagram and likes a couple of photos. It goes only a couple of minutes until he’s bored and puts his phone away.

“You as bored as I?”

Lance jumps at the sound of Hunk’s voice. He looks over at his best friend, and nods. “I just wish there would be someone here. We still have three fucking hours to go,” he groans.

Hunk nods. “Yup, I feel ya, buddy. It’s really annoying, too, ‘cause Keith’s off and I hoped we’d have a day off together for a date night or something. Doesn’t look like that’s happening in the next week.”

“Naww, does Hunketh wanna spend time with his boyfriend?” Lance teases. He ends it with a sigh. “At least you have one, huh? I can’t seem to do anything right.”

“That’s not true. Just open your eyes and maybe there’s someone, like, right in front of your nose that likes you,” says Hunk. He gives Lance a smile, a trace of hope in his brown eyes.

“Yeah right,” Lance says. “Can I ask you something?”

Hunk cocks his head. “Sure, what’s on your mind?”

“How come Shiro’s never asked me out?” Lance knows the question is stupid. First of, Lance never thought of Shiro in the relationship kind of way until he moved in a week ago. Second, Shiro wouldn’t be interested in Lance in that way―Lance has seen the people the guy has been on dates with and they are hella more attractive than Lance. He knows he’s not Shiro’s type.

Nevertheless, the comment Shiro made about his look yesterday made him think. It was one of the things that kept coming back during his date.

He sighs. “Sorry, that was stupid. I shouldn’t have asked,” he says and waves Hunk off.

“Why _do_ you ask?” Hunks arches his brows―not being able to raise just one. He squints with it, and Lance almost wonders if he’s gotten bad sight, but he knows better.

“I… I don’t know?” It sounds annoyingly much like a question. “I think… he said I looked really good yesterday before the date. And today he told me he thinks I’ll make a good boyfriend, and there’s always something there. Just something… I can’t name it.”

He adds a shrug, as if to tell Hunk it isn’t that big a deal. But Hunk knows better. It _is_ that big a deal.

“Dude, listen to yourself. Do you like Shiro?”

Lance doesn’t have to answer as the bell signals for a new customer. They both look up to find two people. Probably a couple, Lance concludes by how they hold hands and look like they’re in love. He wants to find it disgusting, but really, Lance finds it cute.

They come up to the counter and Lance beams them the smile he always gives customers; a half-fake, half-real smile to show that he appreciate them choosing BBS to eat. “What can I get you two?”

The two look at the menu for another couple of seconds. The girl is done first. “I’d like a vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting, and a big hot chocolate without cream,” she says, a smile beams Lance’s way.

“I’ll have a medium black coffee, decaf, and a chicken focaccia toast, please,” the male says.

“You want that together, or on each?” Lance asks.

The girl smiles again. “On each, please.” Lance nods and punches in the girls order first.

“That’ll be six seventy five,” he tells her. She gives him the money, together with a piece of paper. Lance subtly slides the paper into the pocket of his apron as he puts the money in the register and hands her her change.

Then he punches in the male’s order. “That’ll be seven twenty five.” He looks up and the guy is actually smiling at him. He would have thought he’d be jealous, or something other than happy seeing his friend give her number to Lance, but instead the guy gives Lance a slight smirk.

“How much extra for your number?” he asks, and Lance is caught off guard. He regularly gets asked (or asks) for girls’ numbers, but rarely guys’. If there is a guy, it’s usually a maximum of twice a year and an average of zero point one something.

Lance doesn’t know how to react at first, and starts checking the guy out. He’s cute, Lance has to admit that. Long white hair and tan brown skin, both of which reminds of Allura. He has blue eyes, with a taste of yellow that makes Lance blink because those are very pretty eyes.

“Nothing extra,” Lance says and shoots the guy a smile. There’s no way in hell he can say he doesn’t find the guy attractive. And when he asks so bluntly, Lance has to comply. Not only that, the dude has a British accent that makes Lance’s legs a little wobbly because everyone knows a British accent is the same as a death sentence in the romance world, whether you’re male or female, or something else.

The guy gives Lance the money, exactly. Without noticing, Hunk has already gone and finished the toast, and the cupcake along with it, and hands this to the two as Lance starts to make the drinks.

He makes the hot chocolate first, and makes sure to add a heart at the end. Usually, he puts a leaf because some guy got really crazy about the heart once and how he “is not gay and never will commit any such sin”, which also had him banned. But it made Lance wary, but he figured the girl wouldn’t mind.

“So, what’s your name, gorgeous?” the male asks. Lance is glad his back is turned to the guy.

“Lance,” he replies. “And yours?”

“Lotor.”

 _Oh, my God_.

Lance focuses on the drink, or tries. He knows it like the back of his hand, but he hates getting distracted. And he doesn’t want to fuck up the drink of someone who likes him, who openly flirts with him.

“When do you have time off? When exactly can I expect to get a date with you?”

Lance purses his lips, setting the hot chocolate down on the counter. The girl gives him an amused smile and a shrug. He sets to work on the black coffee, a much simpler drink.

“Next Saturday. In a week.” Lance writes his number down on a napkin before he hands over the coffee. “Text me the details.”

Lotor winks as he takes the coffee, and the two friends sit down in one of the window corners. Lance can’t say exactly what happened, but he hopes it works. With the two busy in their own conversation, he looks at the note the girl slipped him.

_My friend here thinks you’re cute ;) Text him, okay? *******642_

He smiles, and shakes his head. That is what you call a good friend. Looking up, he finds Hunk frowning.

“You never answered my question,” he says. “Do you like Shiro?”

Lance shrugs. “Don’t think so. I just asked. If he thinks I’m dateable, why hasn’t he tried?”

Hunk shakes his head. “I don’t know, buddy. But if you want to find out, you should ask him.”

“Yeah, sure. If things don’t work out with Lotor, I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i honestly have no idea where this is going, and i dunno when i'll post; it it'll be regularly or not, but I have the first four chaps done so like, they won't be too long between each. either way, i hope you liked this one and the first, and please leave a comment about whether u like it or there's some grammar mistakes, or some plot holes that i haven't caught... really love u guys for reading <3


	3. Week Two; Shiro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro's on deep waters as he realises Lance knows he finds the latter attractive. And he hates Lance for not giving him a chance to ask him out (not that he would take that chance—what if he says no?!).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm gonna try posting once a wekk. Not sure exactly the day of the week, but when I have the time to review what I've written and such. I hope you like this chap. It's longer than the two before, but -\\_(^-^)_/-....

Shiro is one of the few people who enjoys Mondays. Now, he never has to wake up early, and that might be one of the reasons, but there are more. He likes Mondays because it’s a new start, a new week gives new opportunities. 

It’s also Monday morning he sees a text from Keith saying Lance won’t go out with the Plax girl again. It makes Shiro happy―he would be if she made Lance happy, don’t get him wrong, but it means he still has a chance. He’s quicker than usual as he eats breakfast, and out of the apartment fifteen minutes before normal. 

The spring breeze drags along his cheeks, but Shiro doesn’t care. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, ready for the day. He runs around the little neighborhood he lives in. There’s not many outside at nine am in the morning. Most have gone to school, work and where else they need to be. Those without either, are probably still asleep. 

But that’s one of the things Shiro likes about the morning. He gets the streets to himself, he gets to enjoy an hour and a half running alone with himself as company. One day, he wishes to get a dog and take it with him. A bigger one, that likes long walks and also a lot of cuddles. It’s something he has thought about many times, but as his life is now, he has neither the time or the money for a dog. 

An hour later, he rounds the corner into the street where Balmera Brew & Stew lies. He slows down and walks the few meters to the entrance. The bell chimes as he steps inside and Shiro looks around to see the place crowded. It’s never crowded at ten thirty am, so something has to be going on. 

Shiro stands in line, and continues to look around in bewilderment. He spots Lance at the counter, his roommate is too busy making drinks to notice him. For once, it might not be Lance that takes his order. 

The line doesn’t move far. It takes another ten minutes, and a bigger crowd before it’s his turn. Keith stands behind the register, and he gives Shiro a look of utter annoyance. “It’s a fucking school or something. Children upon children and they never stop ordering,” he says through gritted teeth. 

“Yeah, I’m wondering where I’m going to sit down,” Shiro replies. Keith punches in his order, and before he’s done Shiro’s already handing over the money. 

Keith gives him his change back. “You can probably sit in the breakroom. I don’t think there’s anyone there with this rush.” With that, Keith asks the next one in line what they want and Shiro pulls up to stand and watch as Lance makes drink after drink. 

The first one to get their drink is a girl, and Lance looks up and finds Shiro’s eyes as he does so. He gives a “oh, hi Shiro” and gets going on the next one. The girl turns around and gives Shiro a look. He guesses she’s around fifteen, maybe even younger, maybe older. 

She gives him a flirtatious smile and walks away with an extra sway to her hips. Not only is Shiro over a decade older (most likely), but he doesn’t even like girls, so instead he looks at Lance. 

His colleague walks all over the place. From one to another. He checks the tablet telling him the orders every few seconds, as if preparing the next and double checking the one he’s working on. Shiro catches the few glances he has Shiro’s way. And as he’s finished one drink, he yells what it is. 

After another ten or so kids got their drinks, does Lance come with his. Shiro knows by Lance saying, “Shiro, yours. Food’s in the breakroom.” He motions with a nod of his head in the direction of a door. Shiro shrugs and goes inside, where he finds Shay. 

Shay’s family owns Balmera Brew & Stew. They have for generations. Though, Shiro knows her more because they went to the same college, and before Lance had the job, she was the one he bought coffee from every morning. 

“Hey,” she says. “Guessing that’s your food then?” She gestures to the plate of scrambled eggs, toast and bacon at the edge of the coffee table. 

“Yup, think so.” He sits down, puts down his coffee and starts eating. After waiting longer than usual, it tastes even better. He got more hungry by waiting than he expected. 

Shay smiles. “It’s the same as what you used to order when I had Lance’s shift,” she says. “Don’t you ever get bored of having the same every day?” 

Shiro shakes his head. “Why would I? Hunk made this.” 

She shrugs, and goes back to her phone. Though it doesn’t take her long to look up at Shiro, study him, perhaps. 

“Something wrong?” he asks. 

“No, no. Just wondering something.” Shay shakes her head. He nods and stays quiet, his way of telling her to ask. “Did Lance tell you what happened on Saturday? During his shift.” 

He shakes his head. “Something happened?” 

“Not particularly interesting, other than the fact that he asked Hunk a question about you. I was told not to tell, but I have to admit I wonder the same,” she said. She pauses, and Shiro’s heart beats faster as the curiosity and hope tries to kill him. 

When she doesn’t ask, he puts down his fork. “God, how long do you need? Just ask.” 

She laughs. An amused and kind of mean laughter Shiro knows is Shay having played him. “You’re that desperate, huh?”

Shiro sends her an unamused look and hopes she gets the gist. 

“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you.” She takes another pause. “Why haven't you asked him out?” 

That is not what Shiro expected. He was sure she would ask some weird question that might sound like Lance, but not this. He looks at her, tries to find out whether she really is serious. 

“Seriously. You’ve liked him for what, two years now? And you kept telling everyone he was cute when you first met him. How much longer do you need?” 

Shiro purses his lips. He doesn’t know the answer. Why hasn’t he asked out Lance yet? He’s wanted to, still wants to, for over two years. Is he afraid? Yes, he’s terrified. What if Lance says no?! 

It takes him too long to figure out an answer. It takes him so long that he can’t, because Lance comes into the room and slumps down on the free spot next to Shiro. “There’s still kids out there! Keith told me to take five minutes because no one’s ordering anything but  _ oh my God _ don’t they ever run out of money?” 

Shay laughs. Shiro holds back his laughter, and instead gives Lance an amused smile. 

“You know what else?” Lance asks. “One of those girls kept coming back, but not to order, to ask for my number. She asked for Keith’s, too. And I refused, told her she’s too young and she didn’t take no for an answer. Seriously, she’s probably fifteen years old, that’s way too young. Had she been eighteen, maybe but she’s not even old enough to vote!” 

Shiro smiles knowing Lance turned her down. He ignores what he said about being a little older, and enjoys the fact that Lance won’t be going on another date for a while. “Not too hard to find them flirting with you, though, Lance. What ‘bout, Shiro? Anyone flirt with you?” asks Shay. 

He nods. “One girl gave me a smile and an extra sway of her hips that I chose to ignore.”

“Other people to watch, or?” Shay asks. Shiro glares at her. 

“Other people? He either looked at me or Keith then, since every single person in there is a child. Though, probably not Keith so,” Lance turnes to Shiro, a smirk tugging at the edge of his lips and a brow raised, “were you lookin’ at me, Shiro?” 

Has he digged his grave deep now? Is it deep enough so that he can die? Heat rises to his cheeks. His heart pounds in his head (yeah, that’s what it feels like). He purses his lips to keep from answering. 

“Oh my God, Shiro. You were looking at me?” Lance exclaims. “Am I that handsome?” 

Shiro shrinks in on himself. He wants to tell Lance yes, because  _ yeah, Lance is  _ that _ handsome _ . He can’t. He can’t admit that. Can’t admit the way his gut churns hearing Lance’s flirty tone used in his direction, seeing Lance batting his lashes  _ his _ way. Shiro can’t do anything but look at Lance. Then he looks at the clock. 

“Okay, I’m gonna go. See you later.” He leaves the coffee cup and the plate of food in the breakroom and rushes out of there. Most likely, he blushed and Lance, most likely, saw. 

_ Fucking hell, Shiro, where did subtlety go?! _

Shiro knows Lance has to be curious after what happened yesterday. He made it his goal to avoid Lance at all costs; he went to work before Lance came home―meaning he was there about two hours before his shift started. He made sure to not walk into rooms where he knew Lance was―Matt became his guard and checked every room before he went in. And when he got home, he went to sleep before Lance could ask him anything. 

It is safe to say, Shiro dreads the moment he walks into Balmera Brew & Stew. Lance stands at the counter, head lifts as the bell chimes announcing Shiro’s arrival. Shiro swallows the lump in his throat, and focuses on the smile Lance sends him. 

“So…” Lance arches a brow. “... were you avoiding me yesterday?” 

Shiro thought Lance would give it some time before he asked, but no, the guy is too blunt for that. 

He sighs, biting down on his lip. “Uhm… I have no good answer.” Shiro gives Lance a look of defeat. 

“So you  _ were _ avoiding me?” Lance asks. There’s still a question there, but rather for Shiro to agree or disagree. 

“Yeah,” Shiro admits. “Throw in a cupcake of your choosing on my order, ‘kay?” 

Lance shakes his head, though not in a way that makes Shiro wonder if he doesn’t want the cupcake. He punches in the order, and looks down at the register with furrowed brows. “Why?” he asks eventually. 

“Uh…” What the hell is he supposed to answer? 

“Were you embarrassed? Because you admitted to staring at me instead of kids? I know you find me attractive, you have flirted and you said I looked great before the date the other day. I’m not stupid. I would rather look at you than those kids as well, seriously, I don’t judge.” 

Shiro’s heart beats faster and faster. His head is a mix of  _ oh my God, he finds me attractive _ and  _ oh my God, he knows  _ I  _ find  _ him _ attractive _ . He doesn’t know what to think, what to say. So he nods. It’s as honest as he can be. 

“God, Shiro, you amaze me time and time again,” Lance says. Shiro gives Lance a twenty to pay for his order, and Lance is quick to give him back his change. As he does, his fingers graze Shiro’s and lingers for a couple of seconds―Shiro’s skin is on _fucking_ _fire_.

Seconds later, Lance starts working on his drink. Shiro watches. He notices how Lance seems a lot calmer than he was yesterday. He takes his time, makes sure everything is perfect. And Shiro looks at how Lance is perfect; the scrunch of his nose as he concentrates on what he’s doing; the sway of his hips as he walks around with the low sounding music from the speakers; the way his lips mouth the words of the song. 

He’s dragged out of his trance by Lance handing him the drink and giving him one of his killer smiles―literally, Shiro is sure he died being on the receiving end of that smile. 

“That cupcake...,” Lance says. 

“It’s for you. My apology, because I am sorry,” Shiro replies. 

Lance’s face lits up and Shiro goes to sit down, only for his food to come a few minutes later and a cute Lance plopping down in the seat opposite his. “Hope you don’t mind, but since there’s no one else here, can’t hurt that I enjoy this cupcake whilst sitting down.” And he takes a big bite, with another killer smile Shiro’s way. 

He can’t think straight (nothing about him is straight, but that’s besides the point). Lance keeps glancing his way, keeps giving Shiro heart attacks and butterflies. In the end, he doesn’t just finish his food and need to go, he knows that if he doesn’t leave, he’ll slam Lance into a wall and kiss him so passionately he won’t ever have seen it coming. 

 

Shiro greets the members that come past the reception desk. He shoots everyone a smile and says hi, and after doing so for over a half-hour, he is getting tired of it. The clock’s nearing seven and he knows Lance’s dance class is ready to go. The male already in the room and preparing himself. 

“Hey.” 

He raises his head at the voice, not certain who it belongs to. A girl with a familiar face greets him, a flirtatious smile graze her lips and a glint in her eyes that tells Shiro he isn’t going to like this conversation.

“Hello,” he replies shortly, in the same tone as he had with everyone else that had come into the gym―maybe except for the one dude he had gone on a date with that didn’t want to meet his gaze and that pained Shiro to see so often. 

The girl leans on the counter, swipes her card to register her. “So, I remember you were in the dance class thing a couple o’ weeks ago. You thinkin’ ‘bout joinin’ again?” 

Shiro shakes his head. “Not my thing.” 

“Oh, too bad then. Thought you were quite good if I say so meself,” she says. 

“Look, I get what you’re doing, I am flattered, but you’re not my type and I made a promise to myself to not go on a date with anyone I meet here again.” He breaks it to her at once. No need for her to take up his time if she doesn’t have to.

She raises her brows. “Is it ma accent?” she asks. 

Shiro shakes his head. 

“Then what can it be? You don’t know me, handsome.” She looks at him matter-of-factly. 

“I know that. You’re the wrong gender, if you want the specific reason,” he tells her. He adds a smile at the end, though not a sincere one. 

“‘Kay, then. Imma leave yalone. Don’t need no girl hittin ya up then. Good luck. May I ask? Anyone you fancy that I might kno?” She shrugs, and gives him a rather suggestive look Shiro isn’t sure what means. 

He shakes his head. A lie, yes, but he couldn't care less. Enough people know he likes Lance, already. Some stranger doesn’t need to be added to that list. 

After that, Shiro waits. He continues to greet the ones that come by, and says goodbye to those that leaves. According to Matt, he “stands there looking like a piece of eye candy” which Allura gives him thumbs up for and tells him to continue. 

He does, even when Lance joins him, though then he  _ tries _ to look good because  _ Lance _ is there. It doesn’t take very long before Shiro walks and prepares his own class. He uses his time. He pulls out the sling ropes, and attaches his phone to the speakers for the music he will put on in the background. 

There’s only half an hour of exercise, but Shiro likes being prepared and he likes to greet whoever participates. The room is never full at eight thirty in the evening, but that never stops Shiro, and Allura believes as long as people still goes to it, he can keep it. 

The clocks ticks away, and as it nears eight thirty, he closes the doors. Though not before one last person slips inside with a smug grin. Shiro sighs. He can do this. Lance won’t disrupt him enough, right?

“Okay, everyone. Anyone here that hasn’t tried sling exercise before?” he asks. A routine question that it’s important to ask so that he knows who to keep a better eye on to make sure their technique is correct. 

“I haven’t,” says Lance, and the cheery smile he sends Shiro has Shiro take a deep breath before speaking. 

He nods. “That’s okay. Then let’s start, huh?” He claps his hands together and takes ahold of the sling ropes. “We start with the ropes around upper-thigh, waist area.” He shows where his own are placed. 

From there, he explains the first exercise. First a warm up, and then he goes on with the rest of the program. He makes sure to walk around and look at how people are doing. Every once in a while he either helps a specific person, or sees something they all need a reminder on and tell them out loud. 

It’s when he helps Lance the problem comes. Almost as if he does it on purpose, Lance needs some help with each exercise. (“Pretend like you need to squeeze the juice out of a lemon that’s placed between your shoulder blades.” “But it’ll fall when I don’t squeeze, and then I have to pick it up and that’ll take time.” | “Have your body be a line, like a plank. Squeeze your ass and use the muscles in your stomach.” “You just wanna look at my ass, right?”)

Shiro had to keep from doing something he would regret more than once. Eventually, the half hour is over, which isn’t that weird, it takes no time and he tells everyone they did good and that the room won’t be used so if they want, they can stretch there. 

The only one who does, is Lance. He uses the wall as Shiro puts the sling ropes back into their places. There is one problem with Lance stretching in front of Shiro, and that is the fact that Lance is  _ fucking _ flexible. It gives him a tingling sensation centers belows his gut, he feels it in him that Lance being flexible is something he can grow to love, or already loves. 

He just knows he needs to get out of the room and away from the public eye as soon as possible. 

“Hey, Shiro, can you help me a little?” 

_ Of fucking course, that is something the world will not give him the chance to. _

“Yeah, sure,” he replies and goes over to Lance. Though not sure exactly what Lance wants him to do, he stands still. 

Lance laughs. “Okay, so… can I use you to lean my leg on? Like to stretch it high. I can use the wall, but it hurts more…” There’s a sweetness to Lance’s tone that Shiro can’t resist, so he nods. 

Not even seconds later is Lance’s leg propped up on Shiro’s shoulder.  _ Oh. My. Fucking. GOD! _ Lance’s face is only inches from his own, and he does his best to steady his breathing. And to not look at Lance’s plush, pink, highly kissable lips. 

He ends up closing his eyes to not stare at Lance, and only when the weight lifts from his shoulder a second time, does he dare open them. Lance is staring at him, an amused smile playing on his lips. Shiro wants to lean forward, so much. Only inches keep him from Lance, but he can’t. Too afraid of what will happen afterwards to even dare think the thought. 

“You’re cute when you’re embarrassed,” says Lance. It takes all of Shiro’s will to not jump in happiness because  _ Lance  _ called  _ him _ cute. The bubbles in his gut burst in joy, the butterflies flies around in happiness, and the monster telling him to fear the outcome hides in the shadows afraid of the sudden light. 

“Aww, I’m making you blush.”

_ Shit! _

Shiro looks away from Lance. He goes to pick up his phone and with his back turned, he says, “we should probably think about heading home, huh?”

“Yeah, should probably think about something to eat too, then?” Shiro looks up and sees Lance’s reflection smiling at him. 

He nods. Another punch in the gut knowing that he takes pleasure in Lance living with him in many other ways than just being kind. 

 

Does Shiro hate Lance for being an incredibly good looking guy? Yes.

Does Shiro love Lance for being an incredibly good looking guy? Yes.

Does Shiro hate the fact that Lance is actually going on another date a week after the last one? Most definitely. 

Does Shiro hope, on every being in the fucking universe, that Lance doesn’t like the guy and doesn’t go on another date until Shiro asks him out? Yup, pretty much. 

He walks in on Lance as he comes home from work. In the ‘hallway’ a big wall-mirror hangs, and Lance is checking himself out. He’s wearing black dress pants that sit tight around his ass and  _ yeah, that’s one great ass _ . With it he’s wearing a midnight blue shirt that tugs at all the right places. A black bow tie is tied around his neck, though a little loosely, and to it he has shiny black leather shoes. 

On top of that, Lance has put on makeup. Mascara and eyeliner makes Lance’s eyes pop, and the blue from the suit makes the blue in his eyes stand out. A weak pink blush draws out his cheekbones, and Shiro notices a shiny gloss to those kissable lips. 

His breath hitches. Shiro can feel the arousal and the want scream within him. He can’t not stare at those lips, that ass or into those beautiful blue eyes. His heart pounds in his chest, something explodes in his gut, and this bubbly yet painful feeling envelops him. He hates Lance going on dates, yet he loves the little piece he gets to see himself. 

“Like what you see?” Lance asks him. The little flirty glint in his eyes are back, making Shiro unsure of how to react. 

He breathes deep, not sure if he will survive seeing Lance looking  _ hot _ for more than a few seconds at a time when he knows it’s not for him. To try and stop the arousal, he bites his inner lip. 

What Shiro wants to do, is scream. What he needs, is to scream. He just needs to take his eyes of the gorgeous man in front of him long enough to form a coherent sentence. He’s already been quiet for too long. 

“I… I just need a minute,” Shiro says, kicking of his shoes. He walks into the living room, and with his back to Lance, he finds it a lot easier to gather his thoughts. After a couple more steps, he turns around. “You look perfect. Your date is lucky.” 

To say those words, makes some weight lift off Shiro’s shoulders. Not everything, not nearly everything, but some. He likes complimenting Lance, likes seeing how he lights up with the words, how he smiles so big at Shiro that Shiro nearly loses his balance. 

Sometime, two years ago, cupid hit Shiro hard with an arrow, and he has yet to pull it out. If only cupid could be kind enough to shoot Lance with one that has Shiro’s name written on it, that would be nice. 

Instead, Shiro has to continuously watch Lance go on dates, have fun and not love him. Or, maybe Lance does love him, just not in the way Shiro would like. He watches Lance now, too. The quirk of his brow, the happy smile, and the beauty of everything that is Lance. 

“Thank you. I’ll be off now. Dunno when I’ll be back, but sometime ‘round midnight, I guess,” Lance says. He gives another smile and then he’s out the door before Shiro can even say goodbye. 

With nothing better to do (there is probably something, but Shiro would never admit to doing it― _ God, he’s not a creep _ ), he calls Matt and Allura. He presses to call Matt, but he knows he’ll end up on speaker doing so. 

“Shiro, my man. What’s up?” Matt sounds extra cheer-y on the other line. 

“Lance is going on a date,” Shiro says. “And you have no idea how fucking good he looks. God, I… It’s unfair.” 

Matt chuckles. “You want some company, dude? Sounds like you could need some.” From the background, Shiro hears Allura ask who Matt’s talking to. “Shiro.” 

“I wish I had that dog now, to be honest,” says Shiro. 

“Shio?” Allura’s voice is loud in his ear. “We’ll be over in about twenty minutes, I believe. Picking up food on the way, pizza alright with you?” 

“‘Course. Some ice cream, too, please? Can never afford that so tell Matt to be a good friend,” he says. Allura lets out a scoff, but he still hears the yes she mutters under her breath. 

If something will help, it will be ice cream and his best friends. He hopes at least that that will do. 

 

Shiro wakes up at nine am on Sunday. His head hurts, despite no alcohol the previous evening. Allura and Matt might’ve brought ice cream and pizza, but that was literally all they brought. They drank up the cans of soda Shiro had, and watched countless rom-coms that had Shiro hurting even more. It didn’t help that Matt and Allura were sitting right there, being the cute couple they are and making him jealous of them having each other whilst all he had was pining after someone that he couldn’t have. 

The first thing Shiro notices when gets up and out of bed, is the empty space around him. The previous weekend, he woke up to Lance talking in his sleep (unfortunately, nothing interesting), but now there is no sound. 

He stretches and gets out of bed. With a sigh, he makes his way to the couch. He expects to see Lance’s lanky legs there, to see brown skin against a blue couch, and to see brown tousled hair that keeps going different ways with each time he turns in his sleep. 

But the couch is empty. The apartment is empty. Though just to be sure, Shiro checks the bathroom. There’s no Lance there either. He walks to his nightstand, picks up his phone and sends a text to Keith. The only problem is that Shiro knows Lance doesn’t work today, meaning he has the whole day to not be seen by anybody except whoever was his date. 

After managing to get something to eat and sitting down on the couch, does his phone pling. Keith’s reply his a short,  _ probably with his date _ . 

**[09.37] Shiro** **  
** there’s a flaw in that though

**[09.37] Keith** **  
** wut?

**[09.38] Shiro** **  
** Lance doesn’t sleep with someone on the first date

**[09.41] Keith** **  
** maybe it wasn’t the first date? **  
** idk but dw he’ll come home soon

Shiro isn’t any less worried by that. It feels like someone repeatedly stabbed him in the gut. The most likely possibility is that Lance slept over at his date’s, that he slept with his date, but Shiro doesn’t want to believe it. He chooses not to believe to save himself the inevitable heartbreak.

When Lance first asked for a compromise with the bed, Shiro was tempted to say they should share it, sleep in the same bed at the same time. But he refrained from that, and kind of regrets it to this day. Had he said that, had he flirted, maybe something would have happened. 

He waits for a long time; sits on the couch with the TV in the background and focusing more on the door and the person that might come through than whatever show is on TV. Around noon, he sends a text to Lance. 

**[12.07] Shiro** **  
** Hey Lance, just wondering where you are. You said you’d be home by midnight and since you’re not home I grew a little worried. Please txt back to tell you’re okay. -Shiro

He tried to write the text over and over again. To Shiro, it gives off the vibe he’s desperate, and that he’s obsessed, but he still sent it (he’d contemplated to write  _ love Shiro _ but quickly put away the thought to not make a fool of himself any more than he already had. 

Through another series of background TV noise and glances at the door, does his phone pling again. 

**[13.26] The Idiot You’re In Love With** **  
** hey shiro im ok dw ill be home l8r tnight, dunno when but dw

If anyone ever asks about what Lance is in Shiro’s contacts, he says Keith picked the name. Which, for the record, is true. He just had the help of Matt and Hunk, and Shiro never bothered to change it because it is way too true. He has succeeded to keep it hidden from Lance for a long time, and therefore he knows it’s okay. 

**[13.32] Shiro** **  
** ok, have fun and tell me if there is anything

**[13.34] The Idiot You’re In Love With** **  
** k will do <3

Shiro tells himself to not read too much into the heart at the end, and for the rest of the day he spends around two hours (in total) in the shower. He also tells himself that the next guy he sees that he can go out with, he will ask out. That excludes Lance.   **  
**


	4. Week Three; LANCE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance feels horrible for making Shiro worried, but through the week it feels better... until it doesn't. And he keeps wondering what could be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the last chapter I already had written, so I don't know when the next will come, but I am writing it and will make sure this fic gets done because it's killing me to write this really. Can't be any fluff yet, though.. sorry.

“What the actual fuck were you thinking?” Keith looks at him with the most resigned angry face Lance has ever seen. He flails his arms everywhere, making Lance wonder what he did wrong. “Shiro sent me a text yesterday asking if I knew were you were because he was worried, and he send you a text, I know and you answer almost two hours later, and you tell him not to worry but you don’t come home then either and he is fucking worried!” 

That isn’t what Lance expected. Lance stares at Keith, eyes gone wide and lips pursed together. He doesn’t answer. 

“So, what the fuck were you thinking?” Keith’s tone is softer, and Lance sees Hunk emerge from the kitchen. The male rounds the couch and slouches down on it. He takes Keith’s hand, making the latter ease and sit down in Hunk’s safe arms. Lance has always been jealous of their relationship, however, right then and there, it’s a bigger stab of pain than it has been before. 

Keith repeats his question. But Lance has no clue what to answer. He’s guilty, and there really isn’t anything he can do about it. He told Shiro he was sorry when his roommate came into BBS for his usual drink and food, but he didn’t think much of it. Now that Keith tells him he was a lousy friend, he can’t stop thinking about how Shiro must have felt, and how he didn’t take that into consideration. 

It was just... he’d had so much fun with Lotor. They hadn’t even slept together. They watched a movie, kissed a little because you can do that on a date and talked through the night. At around three AM had Lance realised how much the clock was, and Lotor offered for him to stay over. And when Lance woke up the next day and he and Lotor had another great conversation (and some very nice making out), Lance had suddenly stayed then as well. 

“Lance.” Hunk catches him out of his trance. “What were you thinking?” 

He shakes his head. “I wasn’t. I got caught up in being on a really fun date for once, and knowing I didn’t have work I used the day for myself and got to know Lotor and... I think… I dunno, I was lost in being happy for once, and didn’t think about how that affected Shiro.” 

Keith sighs. “I know you apologized, but… Allura and Matt were at his place on Saturday, and they told me Shiro was out of it. I don’t know really, but they’re worried, and so am I. Just… think about the fact that Shiro isn’t Rolo. Rolo was a shitty roommate, Shiro is one that cares.” Keith stands up, hand still in Hunk’s. “I’m gonna go. My break’s over. Just, please, Lance. Think about it.” 

Lance watches Keith walk away. First when the guy is out of the room does he slump down on the couch and look at Hunk. His best friend looks at him softly, a gentle and warm look that makes Lance feel even worse than he already does. 

“Why am I stupid?” he asks. 

“You’re not stupid, Lance,” Hunk replies. “You like Lotor, it’s okay. I get it. Remember when I first went out with Keith, just the two of us. I hadn’t even told him I liked him yet, nor had Keith told me, but you kept texting me the next day, asking where I was and when I’d be coming home. I didn’t know, and I told you not too late. But we were out all night, and I texted you in the morning telling you so that you wouldn’t be worried. You know what you told me…” 

Hunk leaves a pause for Lance to catch on. 

“...okay, have fun. I won’t worry. Just catch me up every now and then so I know you’re okay.” They say it in unison. Lance stares at Hunk, tears well up in his eyes and he’s not sure he can keep them in. 

“If you had done that for Shiro, it would be okay. Seriously. There is something more behind Keith’s anger, but that’s for another time. Right now, you need to give Shiro a better apology. He understands you like Lotor, and he only wants to make sure you are okay, as your friend.” 

The male opens his arms, and Lance throws himself in. He needs the hug, so much. Hunk’s big arms lock around him and squeeze tight, and Lance lets the tears fall. He has no explanation for the tears, but if he were to guess, he would say they are tears of guilt. 

Lance pleads guilty. 

                                   


 

Lance hits the showers before Shiro. He needs the time to think, and he knows that if he waits, Shiro will already have gone to bed when he gets out. And Lance needs to say he’s sorry. 

He thinks hard about it in the shower. He thinks hard about it after the shower. And he stops thinking when Shiro comes into view in only sweatpants and slippers. Lance might like Lotor, but Shiro is still very attractive. 

“I’m gonna go to bed,” Shiro says. He gives Lance a small smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. Lance’s gut churns in pain. He fucked up, and he fucked up good. 

“No, wait,” he says and scrambles out of the couch. He stops between Shiro and the bed, making sure Shiro has to hear him out (if Shiro doesn’t find it in him to lift Lance out of the way, of course). 

“What’s going on?” Shiro asks. He frowns, dark grey eyes gone worried. The look itself makes Lance hurt on the inside, and he hopes to never be someone who makes Shiro worry, or angry, or anything but happy. He wants Shiro to smile. 

Lance swallows the lump in his throat. His gut still churns with the stabs of pain, but he clears his throat. “I need to apologize, like really apologize. I was an ass not telling you where I was and that I wasn’t coming home and so on. Seriously, I get that you worried and I am sorry for making you worry.” 

A smile forms on Shiro’s face. He looks amused and Lance isn’t sure whether Shiro is about to cry or laugh. He does neither. Instead, he pulls Lance in for a hug, and Lance snakes his arms around Shiro’s back. He feels safe in Shiro’s arms, and the hug puts his own worry to rest. 

“You already apologized, Lance. And either way, you’re not obliged to tell me where you are all the time. That’s not what it is being roommates. But the next time, let me know if you aren’t coming home. It would be nice to know so that I don’t worry about you being kidnapped,” says Shiro, and his voice is light and happy in Lance’s ear. 

“Okay, next time, I’ll be sure to let you know. I’m still sorry, though,” he says. Lance gives Shiro a squeeze before he pulls out of the hug, and with a quiet goodnight, he goes to sleep on the couch. He can blame himself for not being home the night he had the bed. 

 

If there’s one thing that gets Lance’s mind of the rest of the world, it’s dancing. He loves to dance, to feel free and to help others feel the same. Which is why he loves Allura when she proposes he gets another dance class other than the ones on Monday and Wednesday. 

“I believe Friday should go well. Around seven, the schedule for the big room is open, and since you work either way, I bet you don’t mind,” she says, and smiles. 

“Thank you, thank you. God, Allura, when you do this, I just really love you,” Lance says, and Allura laughs at his behavior. He makes a litte victory dance, and stops short as he sees Lotor. “What’re you doing here?” 

Lotor smiles, a hint of a smirk with a glint in his eyes as he leans on the counter. “You said you work here and that you have a dance class, so I wanted to see you,” Lotor says and Lance bites his lip with a smile. 

“Is this your Saturday night date?” asks Allura from beside Lance. He nods. “Hello, name’s Allura. The owner of Voltrain. May I interest you in a membership?” 

“Nice to meet you. Name’s Lotor, and I’ll see after I try my luck dancing,” replies Lotor. He gives Lance a wink, making heat creep into his cheeks. 

For the ten minutes Lance uses to prep the the ‘dance studio’, Lotor hovers over his back. The male keeps stealing kisses every now and then, and Lance giggles. He smiles, and when the first person arrives, he tells Lotor to stop. 

Lotor doesn’t, and though he hears the giggle of some of the girls seeing their affection, Lance jumps at the sound of a familiar cough. Breaking the kiss, he sees Shiro―a flash of hurt crosses his eyes, but it’s gone before Lance can be sure that was what he saw. 

“Something I can help with?” Lance asks, he raises a brow at his roommate. 

Shiro shakes his head, making Lance even more confused as to why the man is there, but he waits patiently for Shiro to speak. “Just… Allura said you have to come to her office as soon as the class is over.” 

“Hi, I’m Lotor.” 

The voice scares Lance then, nearly having forgotten Lotor stood by his side. Yet, he feels the absence of an arm around his waist when Lotor reaches out a hand for Shiro to shake. 

“Shiro.” The reply his short, and Lance is certain than, that it is a look of hurt that crossed Shiro earlier, as the same look comes again. It’s evident in his voice, too, strained and unsure. 

It makes Lance confused, but as Shiro steps out of the room and the class starts, he tries to shake the feeling off. Something is going on with Shiro, something he wants to ask about, but he doesn’t know how. Lance’s own heart hurts by seeing the pain. He can’t explain why, but it tugs at him to be the one to have Shiro smile. 

Just as Monday. When he apologized, when he hated the confused look Shiro gave him, but his heart pounded seeing the smile and hearing the laugh that followed Lance’s apology. 

Either way, Lance can’t, despite the multiple winks and smirks Lotor sends his way, get Shiro’s hurt look out of his mind. 

 

Lance usually likes Thursdays. The keyword here;  _ usually _ . 

He doesn’t like this Thursday. He’d woken up on the wrong side of the bed, and with the worst hair day, and with the knowledge that he’d be late for his shift because he had somehow not put on an alarm, nor taken into consideration that he’d slept at Lotor’s and that it took him longer to get to work from there, than from Shiro’s. 

“Where the hell have you been?!” asks Shay as he comes in the backdoor. She raises a brow at him, her lips drawn in a thin, unhappy line that makes Lance sure she is super mad. “I woke Rax to come down because Keith called in sick this morning, and Hunk is busy in the kitchen, and I had other things I had to do since my parents left this to  _ me _ . And you didn’t answer my fucking calls, so  _ where the hell have you been? _ ” 

He drags a hand through his hair. Lance knows he fucked up, he knows. He did sent a text to Hunk though, but either way, he’s over an hour late and that isn’t something you easily come back from. 

“Uhh…” 

“No ‘uhhs’. Give me the story, and don’t excuse anything.”

Lance doesn’t. He tells everything as it is. “I forgot to set an alarm, forgot I slept at Lotor’s, and didn’t put in the time I needed to get here. I’m sorry. I told Hunk, know I should’ve told you, but I… I didn’t think.” 

“Not thinking sounds exactly like what you did! Now get your ass out there and help my brother because last Monday’s shit is back on, but this time, college kids. Not that many of them, but still a fucking mess.” Shay gives him a get-on-with-it look, but she adds a small smile. 

Lance thanks her as he turns around to get out and help Rax. 

“And Lance,” he turns around. “Don’t come late again, okay? One mistake equals a warning, twice equals a possible loss of job.” 

There’s a playfulness to the tone of her voice, but there’s a very big part of that that’s still very serious. Sometimes―don’t ever tell Shay―she scares him a little (or maybe a lot). 

Lance releases a sigh of relief as he gets out behind the counter. Rax gives him the same look Shay had, but he doesn’t say anything, just continues with the drink he’s making. Lance goes to the counter. Ready to do his job, he looks up at the person there and chokes. 

There’s no other way to explain it. Lance’s throat tightens, makes it hard to breathe. He stares at Rolo, his former roommate that he’s glad doesn’t share any shifts with him at Voltrain because if they had Lance thinks they might have tried killing each other at some point. They barely saw each other when Lance lived with him, he was nothing if not happy to be thrown out. 

“One mocha frappuccino,” he says. “Big, and please don’t spit in it.”

By the last line, the one behind Rolo eyes Lance with wary eyes. Lance punches in the order. He doesn’t say anything, ignores Rolo’s need for attention. “That’ll be four ninety five.” 

Rolo hands a five, and Lance hands back the five cents. Going on to the next person, Lance expects Rolo to move. Instead, he stands there. It takes him more than long enough for Lance to yell at him to get out of the way, but he doesn’t. He let’s Rolo ask the question that inevitably will come. 

“Keith working?”

“No, and please move. You’re holding up the line,” says Lance. Rolo moves, and Lance continues to punch in order for order, until there’s no one left ordering and he helps Rax make drinks. 

He catches a glance at the clock every now and then. It’s 9.49. Forty minutes until Shrio arrives, and Lance finds forty minutes to be just a little too long. He doesn’t know why (there’s a lot of things Lance doesn’t understand) since he saw Shiro the night before, and they see each other pretty much every day, it’s not like they’re a thing either. Yet, he likes the older’s company. Shiro is easy to talk to, he understands things many don’t, and he makes Lance’s worry about debt and money calm down and not sound like a problem. 

If Lance bothered, he could quit one of his jobs. He would still be able to live, despite the low wage. But, he’d use twice the amount of time to pay back his debt, and he didn’t only have it for his tution, he had it with his parents, with his siblings, with his cousins and his aunts and uncles. He owed his family, as their help was the only reason he’d managed to get to the US to study. Every month, he put 200 dollars to his family. 

Shiro makes it easier to have two jobs, easier to know that despite feeling as if he’s wasting his time, and life, he might get somewhere eventually. Shiro helps Lance keep the dream of opening a dance studio one day, have a group, teach young dancers that want to become something new the world as never seen. 

And whenever Lance sees Shiro, that happiness bubbles within him. He can’t explain it any other way. 

 

Friday night, Lance comes home from his shift with the knowledge that he has the whole Saturday off. He can sleep in, and then he can have much fun at another date with Lotor. 

But when Lance does come in the door, seeing Shiro’s shoes with another pair, Lance is reminded of Allura asking if he could step in at the sling class. Shiro hadn’t been at work, so where had he been? 

He kicks of his shoes and walks past the little wall where he usually hangs of his jacket―he hadn’t wore one today. Lance doesn’t find what he expects, because he expects either Keith or Matt, because those are the people Shiro gets off work for. Instead some tall (giant) dude sits on the couch. 

Lance’s roommate is nowhere to be seen (meaning the bathroom), and Lance doesn’t know what to do when the guy sees him. He wants to bail, but there’s nowhere to bail to. And the next moment, the dude stands and holds out a hand for Lance. 

“I’m Ulaz, you’re Lance, right? The roommate?” 

To be politie, Lance takes Ulaz’s hand, but he finds he doesn’t want to. Why? He can’t say, but he just doesn’t really want to. But he was raised with manners, and he knows how he’s supposed to behave, especially towards someone Shiro knows. 

“Yeah, I’m Lance,” he replies. He hopes the question about Ulaz comes out in his half-way insecure voice, because if not, he’s screwed. Asking that question will only make things very awkward, and Lance has made a pact to avoid awkward situations. 

Ulaz nods, and sits back down. “I’m Takashi’s… Uhh… We go back, but it’s..” 

“You’re a friend from before he moved here? Or something else from before?” asks Lance, and takes his laptop with him to the little reading nook. He sits down, and looks at Ulaz quizzically. 

“Something more, I guess is more it. We never discussed it, really, but yeah…” 

It was a gut punch for Lance, but the reason for that, is unexplainable. He just smiles, nods and hears the lock to the bathroom open. Shiro steps out. Lance purses his lips with a small smile. 

“Oh, hi, Lance.” Shiro walks to the kitchen, grabs a beer, before he sits down beside Ulaz. He sits down a little closer than Lance can take. It doesn’t make sense. Lance likes  _ Lotor _ . Lance wants to be with  _ Lotor _ . Lance is happy with  _ Lotor _ . Yet, everything in him tightens seeing Shiro on what is most likely a date. His heart squeezes the wrong way, something continuously stabs his gut, and in the back of his mind something screams at him to tell Shiro that he’ll break if off with Lotor if the male gives him a chance. 

But Lance just smiles, mumbles a ‘hi’, and turns on his laptop. Right there and then, he needs to put his mind elsewhere, he needs to do something else to get rid of that awful feeling of insane jealousy that he never thought he would feel around Shiro. 

“You wanna watch a movie with us?” asks Shiro before Lance can put on his headphones. There is that moment where you don’t know wether to politely decline or reluctantly say yes. Lance goes for something in between by saying yes, and inviting Lotor to have someone himself. 

It takes Lotor ten minutes to arrive, and though Lance can notice Shiro isn’t too happy, the male still smiles. It’s knowing that Lotor is there, sitting in the nook of the taller’s arm, and still feeling as if his heart rips into a million tiny pieces, that makes one thing certain for Lance;

He’s jealous, not because Shiro has someone, but because they go back longer and probably have a relationship Lance will never be able to get with anyone. Not Lotor, not anyone else he might possibly have a relationship with, and he tells himself that is what breaks his heart. 

In all fairness, Lance knows he plays himself. Nevertheless, he lives with the belief that that lie might turn into truth. 

 

Does Lance hate himself for spending the whole of Saturday at Lotor’s? Both yes and no. 

To be honest, Lance stops thinking clearly when he’s caught off guard with his emotions. They usually best him and lets him figure out tings when it’s too late, but he doesn’t understand why now. 

Sitting in Lotor’s arms is a nice feeling. They’ve had a week, and Lance likes it. But that’s it. He only  _ likes  _ it. There’s nothing there that gives him a sense of comfort, or happiness he can’t find elsewhere. What Lotor gives him, is something he finds in Shiro as much as Hunk, or even Keith. And that’s not what he looks for in a relationship. 

He likes Lotor, but maybe that stupid question got to him more than he thought it would? 

_ Why haven’t Shiro asked me out? _

It’s not like the dude’s ever told him he doesn’t find Lance attractive. In fact, it’s been more the opposite. Shiro is constantly giving him compliments, he’s admitted to checking him out, and he isn’t overly shy about finding Lance attractive. So why hasn’t he asked Lance out? Is there something wrong with him? Something he should know, should consider? 

His mind doesn’t work. Lotor’s voice is drowned out by both the TV, the comfort of fingers through Lance’s hair, and his own thoughts that won’t stop fucking with him. He can’t think straight, nor can he relax. 

“―and I think that could be good. You know, not needing to worry about stuff like where to sleep and such?” 

Lance barely catches what it was about. He guesses by the end, and the question in Lotor’s voice. He shifts and turns to look at the guy he’s dating. Takes in the little features of Lotor that he knows he likes. And he smiles. 

“Is that a yes?” Lotor asks. A glint and a hopeful smile plastered on his face. 

Lance swallows. “Uhh… not exactly. You’re asking, without saying it, whether or not I want to move in here?”  _ god, please don’t be wrong now Lance, because if you are you fuck up everything. _

“Yes, I am.” 

_ Thank God. _

“I need a few moments. It’s a lot. We’ve only known each other for two weeks, and on top of that, we’ve only dated for a week. I can’t just move in.” Lance shoots Lotor an uncertain smile, that Lotor returns with a smirk.

“Don’t worry about that, okay? It’s fine. I’ll make the arrangements necessary, and it makes it possible for us to be more together. With your crazy schedule, that seems like the right thing to do.” 

There’s something about the way Lotor says it, the way he cocks his head with a small innocent smile, that has Lance’s heart shoot into his throat. He tries to steady his breathing, but nothing works. 

A fear rises in him, and in the calmest way he can, he stands up and says, “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I need time to think, and I can’t do that with you waiting for the answer right next to me.” 

Lance doesn’t let Lotor say anything before he bolts out the door, and runs down the stairs and fights back the panic that rises in his chest, in his head and that makes it hard to breath. He doesn’t know why he panics, only that everything about Lotor suddenly frightens him. 

Lance fumbles with the keys to his and Shiro’s apartment. They never seem able to make it into the hole and in the end he gives up. He lets the panic engulf him, that feeling of being close to something he doesn’t want to happen, happen. He slides down the wall on the opposite end of where the door is located and buries his head in his knees. 

Silent tears fall down his cheeks, and he does his best to steady a shaking body and calm down his breathing. Truth be told, Lance hates having things sprung on him. What did Lotor think with? Moving in? After knowing each other for a little over a week? 

_ That’s insane _ . 

Lance stands up. His hands are still shaking, but he ignores it. He fits the key into the hole and open the door. For a very good reason (or so Lance believes), he’s glad that there’s only one pair of shoes kicked to look like a mess. It means Shiro is alone, and right now, that’s what Lance needs. 

He walks into the living room. Shiro’s watching TV. Lance doesn’t say anything, neither does he. Lance closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and lets it all out in one go. “LotoraskedifIwouldmoveinwithhim.”

Shiro glances over at him. “What?” 

“Lotor asked if I would move in with him.” Lance’s voice is by far much calmer than he is himself. And maybe that’s the problem. He isn’t okay with it, he never would be with the prospect of moving in with someone when he barely knows them, but for some stupid ass reason, he isn’t going to show that to Shiro. For some stupid reason, he sounds almost like he wants to. 

His roommate takes a minute to answer. He frowns, scans his surroundings, and when his eyes land on Lance’s face, there’s evident fear in those grey eyes. “Are… I don’t… Excuse me, but what?”

Shiro’s polite like that. Doesn’t really curse, doesn’t have any sentence uttered be mean in any way. And all Lance wants to do is scream. That doesn’t seem to conflict, but it doesn’t solve anything either. 

“He asked, and I told him to give me time. But honestly…” Lance breathes. In, out. In. Out. “I can’t do that. I’ve barely known him a week, and I don’t understand anyone who wants to move in so early that they can’t really plan for anything. And I just…. I just want to scream.” 

Shiro blinks. He gives Lance a smile, a smile that tells him everything is going to be okay. “Well, in the end, it’s up to you. But I can help you with the screaming thing, if you want that?” 

He nods. He takes whatever he can get. 

  
Lance can’t possibly see how him screaming has anything to do with pulling him up a fucking mountain. His legs are sore, lactic acid making them wobbly and feeling like he can’t walk. Whilst to next to him, stands Shiro without any sign of being tired at all. 

He doesn’t say anything, doesn’t complain about how much more stamina Shiro has than him, and how much he doesn’t want to stand on top of a fucking mountain and feel like he can’t get down again. 

“We’re alone up here. You can scream all you want,” says Shiro. 

Lance takes a deep breath. Screaming is exactly what he wants to do, but there is always more. “Do it with me?” He holds out his hand, and Shiro takes it. 

On three they scream. They scream so loud Lance can’t really comprehend what’s going on. They scream louder than Lance thought possible. They scream loud enough for Lance to believe he heard someone telling him to shut up. 

Either way, Lance closes his eyes and screams even louder in relief. And he knows his reply to Lotor. 

 

**[23.11] Lance** ****  
yo, i toght bout wut u asked   
n its 2 soon but i still want to go out w u

**[23.14] Legolas** ****  
Oh   
…   
That’s okay. A little disappointed, but I understand. Glad you are not throwing me away because of it, though. I have a thing for wanting things to go faster than others.

**[23.22] Lance** ****  
Thx   
I just… tings are kinda…    
Okay that i come over tomorrow?? 

**[23.26] Legolas** **  
** Yes, of course. Around noon?

**[23.31] Lance** **  
** :P


	5. Week Four; Shiro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, Lance is still with Lotor? and that doesn't go well for Shiro who ignores Lance all week and feels awful for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, so this is really late.  
> i know  
> im sorry  
> but ive had other things going on, and i've had writers block and i have no inspiration, but i got some and therefore you have this. i didn't know how long this story was going to be, but it's now finished and i hope you like the end, even thought there's not getting to know them in a relationship. sorry but i have to end it or else it wont ever get finsihed, enjoy

Shiro wants to scream. 

Again, that is. 

He let out all his frustrations on top of that mountain. It had been good, so damn  _ good _ . And holding Lance’s hand whilst doing so, had been another rush of emotions he hadn’t prepared for. The fire of skin against skin, the knot in his gut loosening just a little, and his mind telling him that his chance would come to actually ask Lance out. 

Monday morning is therefore shit. Because Lance hadn’t come home that Sunday, or sometime through the night. Lance said he would go to Lotor’s around noon, break the news and that he wasn’t sure exactly what would happen after. 

Shiro had expected Lance to be single afterwards. Shiro had expected to wait it out a week afterwards, or more, if Lance needed it. And then Shiro had told himself he would ask Lance out. He’d waited two years to gain the courage, and now that he had it, he would lose it just as fast. 

Because Lance is still with Lotor. 

He gets the message loud and clear when he walks into Balmera Brew & Stew. Seeing Lance sit in one corner with Lotor’s arm draped around him, does that. Keith stands at the register, and Shiro swallows the biggest lump in his throat he’s ever had, along with trying to deafen the sound of his heart shattering into a million pieces that can never be picked back up again. 

“It hurts, or?” asks Keith. It’s impossible not to hear the underlying anger. And not notice Keith’s gritted teeth. 

Shiro frowns. “What happened to you?” The only times Keith gets angry is if anyone says something about Hunk, something they end up regretting in the end. 

“Lotor over there said, and I quote, ‘how come you’re with the big guy? You could do much better, right?’. Not only did he say that to me, he said it in front of my boyfriend, and Lance did nothing.  _ Nothing _ . Hunk’s he’s best friend and he didn’t defend that Lotor talked shit ‘bout him.” Keith looks over at the couple in the back with a death glare, one Shiro has been on the receiving end of, and doesn’t want to again. 

“He hasn’t said he’s sorry, huh?” he asks, and Keith nods. “Can I pay now, or should I wait until you’ve beaten the shit out of him. Because I won’t stop you.” 

“Yeah, sure.” Keith shakes his head. “I really want to… rip his head off. And you know the worst part. Lance is still sitting there, cozying up the dude.” 

Shiro gives Keith the money. “You know what’s worse?” The male behind the register raises a brow as he hands back Shiro’s change. “He asked Lance to move in the other day, and I know Lance said no. Yet, there they are. And, Lance slept over at Lotor’s last night.”

“Wait, seriously? Lance hates when things goes too fast, everyone knows that. And he’s called it off when that’s happened before. Remember that, I don’t remember her name, but she asked Lance to move in with her two  _ months  _ into their relationship. Lance broke it off without a sweat. What happened?” Keith steps away, starts making Shiro’s coffee.

Shiro shrugs. “Well, I don’t… I think I give up, actually.” 

“I second that,” says Hunk as he comes out the door. “Where you wanna sit, buddy?” Shiro replies with a shrug, and Hunk sets down the plate at the far end of the room. Before he sits down himself. “As soon as Keith is done with your coffee, we’re gonna talk. The three of us. And Lance is gonna get back to work.” 

“Okay.” He sits down, and pokes his food. 

Mere seconds later, Keith comes with his coffee and sits down on the last chair. No one says anything to the disgusting couple at the other end of the room, but Lance seems to notice either way. Shiro follows the movements he makes to get behind the counter, Lotor following like a puppy after its owner. 

Shiro decides there and then that he’s going to adopt a dog. He doesn’t care that Lance lives with him and that he should consider the other guy, he just knows he’s going to get a dog in the nearest future. 

“We need to talk about you-know-who, because this won’t ever work,” says Hunk. “Lance doesn’t see it, or notice it, but it’s evident that Lotor can manipulate. He told me about how the move in thing went down, and he had the question sound like Lance would be the bad guy if he didn’t at least continue to date him. Seriously, and he made it seem as if what he said about me was child’s play. A joke that… didn’t hurt.” 

“Wait, Lance believes Lotor only joked?” Shiro asks. He frowns at the couple, sees Keith take Hunk’s hand in his and rub circles on it. Shiro’s heart might be broken, but nobody breaks something a nice as Hunk and Keith’s love. 

Keith nods. “Pretty certain. Despite Lance telling me he’d get Lotor to say sorry, he shrugged like it was no big deal. And he… he didn’t listen when I said Hunk got hurt, and usually he listens. He’s never cared about anything being a joke before, those things he’s serious about.” 

“Yeah…” Shiro closes his eyes. Is there anything he can do? Anything at all that might make Lance understand? 

He stands up, doesn’t answer the question written on Hunk’s and Keith’s faces, and walks over to where the other couple stands. Lance frowns as Shiro comes to halt in front of the counter, three inches from Lotor.

“You not get something you wanted, or?” asks Lance. 

Shiro sighs. He turns, faces Lotor and prepares himself for what to say (he’s starting to regret this very very much). “Apologize,” he says. 

“Excuse me?” Lotor looks over at Lance, a question mark plastered on his face. 

“Apologize to Keith and Hunk. You said something that hurt them, and therefore you should say you’re sorry.” Shiro stands tall, hates that Lotor is, in fact, an inch or so taller than him.

“Why? What does he have to apologize for? Can’t he joke?” asks Lance. For some reason, Lance sounds more confused than Shiro thought he would be. 

“Why? Because he told Keith, whilst Hunk was present, that he deserves better. We all know that’s a sore subject for both of them, and you never let anyone say anything, no matter if it is a joke or not, that can hurt your friends.” Shiro looks at Lance, hopes the disappointment is as clear as he wants it to be. 

Lance stares at him. His gaze flickers to Lotor, and back to Shiro again. When Lance shakes his head, and stares at Shiro as if Shiro’s in the wrong, Shiro’s heart breaks again and again and again. His heart explodes, fragments pokes everything in his gut, and the lump in his throat fastens. His head feels like a ticking bomb, and he knows that Lance needs to hear it. 

“Great, Lance. Great. You take the word of someone you’ve known for a week, over your best friend who you’ve known since middle school, and your friend who’ve known for six years. I’m actually disappointed, and if there was one person I didn’t think could do that, it was you.”  _ because I love you, and the last two weeks, everything has hurt more than before. But this. This takes the cake _ . 

Shiro walks back to his table. His food has gone cold, but he doesn’t care. He eats and he wants to throw up. Not because of the food, though. 

“Are you okay?” asks Keith. 

Shiro nods. “Never better.” 

_______________

Shiro jumps at the sound of his phone. He answers without looking at the caller ID and rather tries to make his voice less hoarse. He coughs a couple of times before shaking his head and uttering a small hello. 

“Hello, Shiro. Are you okay?” asks Allura. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he says, but his voice contradicts him. He closes his eyes and sighs, because no, he’s not okay. 

Allura doesn’t answer right away. He can hear her breathing, thinking and then, “I think you should take the day off, okay?”

“I don’t need that,” Shiro says, “I’m fine. I’ll survive.” 

“I don’t care, Shiro. I can’t have you spread bad vibes, and you don’t have any classes, meaning there is no problem for you to stay home. I need you to take care of yourself, and I’m not just your boss, I’m your friend and can’t let you do this to yourself.” 

There’s no point arguing with Allura, Shiro knows this, but he does either way. He wants to work. To get his mind of Lance, and to get his mind of how much he hates that he loves him because it hurts so fucking much. He’s never felt this way before, and it feels like it will kill him any second now. 

“I heard what happened.” Allura takes him out of his mind. “And I heard both sides of the story. It’s unfortunate that Lance takes Lotor’s side.” 

Shiro hears the but Allura didn’t say. He waits. If he gives her enough time, she’ll finish. Or so he thought, but as she’s about to start on another sentence, Shiro has to ask. “But what?”

“But Lotor is his boyfriend, I believe, and I know he means much to you but clearly he likes Lotor and it’s very typical to take our loved one’s side, despite the hypocrisy of it.” Allura has a point, of course, Shiro just wishes it wasn’t so obvious. He wants to believe Lance doesn’t really like Lotor, or not enough to date him for long. Seeing Lance with someone has made Shiro realize that if he doesn’t act soon, nothing will ever happen. And he knows, more than anything, that something has to. 

“Don’t come in to work, okay? Take your time, and I’ll have Matt come over to your place with ice cream,” she says, and doesn’t let him protest before saying bye and that she’ll update him with when Matt’s coming. 

He throws his phone onto the bed and groans. And then flings himself onto it, closes his eyes and startles hearing the front door open. Lance is home.  _ Fuck, Lance is home _ . Shiro opens his eyes, gets off the bed and decides to hide in the bathroom. He still sees Lance a tiny bit, but with a ‘hi’ he’s disappeared into the only other room and feels happy to have gotten away. 

But now that he’s there, what the fuck is he supposed to do? He can play a phone game, he has like one, but still… But his phone is still on the bed.  _ Fuck _ . 

Maybe he’ll just clean the fucking bathroom then? Not like he has anything else to do, and everything he needs is in there already. So that’s what Shiro does, for  _ two and a half hours _ he cleans the bathroom just so that he doesn’t have to talk to Lance, because that will hurt too much. 

He emerges when he hears the door slam shut, but as he hears Lance’s voice (and the surprise in it) he finds himself wanting to go straight back into the bath. It’s Matt coming, and not Lance leaving. 

Shiro checks his wristwatch. 4.30 PM. Lance’s shift at Voltrain started half an hour ago but Lance is still here meaning something's going on. He hides in the bathroom again, careful not to be noisy so that they won’t know he’s been out. 

“He locked himself in the bathroom two hours ago and hasn’t come out. I don’t understand, Matt, what’s going on? Does it have something to do with the Ulaz guy who was here because he’s been in a mood since then? Or is it something else?” he hears Lance ask. 

Matt hesitates. Shiro knows because he uses a minute to answer, meaning he doesn’t know what to say. But when the answer comes, Shiro wants to rip Matt’s head off. “Something is going on, but it has nothing to do with Ulaz. Didn’t even know they were still in touch. No, this has to do with you.” 

“Me?” Lance asks, his voice incredulous. Shiro can picture how his eyes are wide and staring down Matt not knowing what else to do. 

“Yup, you. He cares about you, Lance. And he cares about Hunk and Keith. He does not care for Lotor. I’m sorry, haven’t met the dude but it doesn’t really sound like anyone else likes him either. But if you’re happy, there’s nothing we can do, but there is something you can do. He doesn’t seem to regard your friends, but you can tell him he has to be nice, because if he is, he might actually change their minds and make them see that he’s good for you. As of now, it doesn’t sound like it.” 

Shiro really wants to bash Matt’s head in. His best friend might be asocial, and weird and a huge nerd, but for some reason, when he’s serious, he is really serious. And he gives advice that sound really good but is him spouting bullshit because he doesn’t know what else to say. Shiro loves Matt, but right in that second, hearing Matt try to make things okay but saying the wrong things, he really hates him. 

“They don’t like Lotor?” Lance asks. There’s no answer so Shiro guesses Matt nods. “Because he said one stupid thing? Or because there’s more behind it? They’ve barely met him and they have an opinion? Shiro looked like he had an opinion the first time they met, and it didn’t seem like he was going to give Lotor a chance, so why should Lotor give them one? What did he do wrong?” 

_ See, Matt, I told you you fucked up _ . 

“I don’t know, Lance. But I know why Shiro has an opinion. It’s not my right to say why, though, but again. Shiro’s fault in every way, but he can’t help it. Those things hurts, you know?” replies Matt. 

Before Lance can answer, there’s loud banging on the bathroom door. And Matt yells along with it, “Yo, Shiro. Time to emerge from hibernation. I got the ice cream Allura promised.” 

Before he opens the door, he hears Lance mumbles he should get going. Shiro wonders what Lance thinks everything means, if he reaches a conclusion to what Shiro’s why is. Matt wasn’t exactly subtle. 

He gets out of the bathroom and hates the look Matt gives him. “Pretty sure Lance is gonna think you hate him if this continues,” he says. 

Shiro shakes his head. “Just give me the damn ice cream.” 

__________________

 

Everything hurts. All the time. Every day, every hour, every minute, every second. Shiro’s skin is on constant fire. Anger mixed with worry and pain courses through his veins. His heart pumps fifty miles a minute, and his brain won’t shut up. 

Not only has he been avoiding Lance, but it’s obvious that Lance has been avoiding him. They have both been to work, they have both been at home, and they have both been at Balmera Brew & Stew. Yet, they do their very best to miss each other. 

Maybe they aren’t meant to be. Maybe things aren’t supposed to work out for them. Maybe Shiro should give up. 

When he walks into BBS that Saturday evening, that’s most of what he’s thinking. It’s both that, and the part where he really just needs to see Lance. He cannot let five years of friendship get lost because of this. Something that isn’t really Lance fault either, but Lotor’s. God, he wishes Lotor would just disappear. 

But  _ no _ . 

Lance is there. Lotor is there. And they’re smiling, and laughing, and tearing Shiro’s fucking soul apart. He takes a deep breath and walks to the counter. Lotor gives him a death glare ( _ right back at you _ ) and Lance frowns. 

“Hi, Shiro. Haven’t seen you in a while now.” 

Shiro screams on the inside, a big fucking whail. “Yeah, been busy.”  _ No, you haven’t. Stop lying, Shiro. It still hurts. _

“I’ve noticed. What can I get you?” says Lance, though the small smile he gives is forced. Shiro hates his own fucking guts, and he wants to apologize, but he can’t. 

“An americano, please.” He hands Lance the money before he’s even put in the order, and Lance is nice enough to take it right away. He hands back the change and starts making the drink. 

It doesn’t take long, but it takes long enough for Lotor to stare at Shiro. And make a comment. “You should be ashamed.” 

“Excuse me?” 

“Yeah. Treating Lance as if he’s not worth it. Avoiding him, telling him he’s wrong. Acting like he isn’t being himself and like you’re the only one that can ever be right. Stop doing that. It doesn’t suit you, and it is most definitely not a trait he’ll ever like.” There is a threat in all that, Shiro is sure, but exactly what it is, he can’t figure out. 

He ignores Lotor, and rather gives Lance a smile as the male hands him his coffee. And then he gets out of there before anything more happens. And as he opens the door to his apartment, the tears fall quick and unstoppable. 

______________

 

It’s past midnight when the door opens and someone steps through. Shiro sits on the couch, an almost empty bucket of ice cream in his lap and a spoon in his mouth. He’s watching sappy rom-coms and he knows that his cheeks are tear stained. He told himself he didn’t care, not even if Lance knew the truth. 

However, as the male slumps down on the couch, he wishes he’d cleaned himself up. Lance turns to face him, and his composure breaks. Tears run down his cheeks. Lance reaches out, but he ignores it. He gets up, leaves the ice cream on the coffee table and hides on the bed under the cover. 

“Shiro,” says Lance, and tries to drag the cover off of him. Shiro doesn’t budge. “Come on, Shiro. Talk to me.”

He shakes his head. Lance can’t see, but he still shakes his head. 

“Shiro, please. Can we have a grown up conversation? We’ve avoided each other all week, and we fucking live together.” The fact that Lance has turned into the reasonable one makes Shiro realize how hard he’s actually fallen. 

He let’s the cover be ripped away. Lance sits down on the bed, and with some help, drags Shiro up to sit beside him. 

“I need to know.”  _ if you like me _ . 

Shiro only nods. “Yeah, of course.” He closes his eyes. He can do this. He can tell. God, he has to do this. “I…” Why can’t he? Why has every word escaped his mind? WHAT EVEN ARE WORDS? 

Lance takes Shiro’s hand in his, gives him a small smile to help.  _ Fucking hell, those dimples. _

“I’m…” He swallows the lump in his throat. “I’m in love with you, Lance.” 

His roommate nods. “I don’t know what to say to that.” 

“You don’t have to say anything. Just know that I won’t like Lotor until I’m over you, and I’m not sure I can do that anytime soon.” He sighs. “He makes you happy, though. And for that, I’m happy. But I wish it was me.”

Lance shakes his head. “How long?”

“Two years.”

“What the fuck, Shiro?!”

“I’m sorry. I never got the courage to ask you out. And I had it on that mountain. But you didn’t come home, or you did, just still in a relationship.”

Lance lets go of Shiro’s hand, closes his eyes. When he opens them, and Shiro stares, he can’t help but think of blue they are, and how it fits so well with the complexion in Lance’s skin. 

“You were gonna ask me out?” 

Shiro nods.

“When?”

“I was gonna give it a week. So either tomorrow or sometime next week.”

Lance looks away. 

“I blew my chance, didn’t I?”

Lance doesn’t answer for a long time. Shiro counts to ten over and over again. Eventually, he grows tired. “Lance, I need an answer. If I want to get over you, I need to know that you’re unavailable.”

“I know,” Lance says. “But I can’t tell you you did, because you didn’t. If Hunk hadn’t asked after that one date with Plax if I wanted to date you, I might not have noticed, but I do now. I… don’t know what it is.”

“So there’s hope? What about Lotor?”

Lance shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Break up with him. Go on a date with me.”

“I can’t just do that. I like him, Shiro.”

“I don’t care. You said I have a chance so I wanna take it while I have it.”

“I’m going to spend the night at Keith and Hunk’s. I’ll tell you tomorrow, okay?” 

“Okay.”

_______________

 

“―but maybe he’s just not feeling it,” says Allura. She takes a sip of her wine glass and shrugs. 

“Not feeling it?” asks Shiro. “How can I just not do anything if I have a chance? It’s been two years, and I know I’m being stupid, but I don’t know what to do.”

Matt nods. “Maybe you should let it happen. Whatever happens. If he breaks it off, if he says yes. Whatever it is, Lance is the one to choose where he stands.”

He nods. “Right now, I wish I was talking to Pidge, or Hunk. They’re both better than you at this.”

Allura scoffs. “Better than us? At relationships? I don’t think so, Shiro. In fact, I believe Lance is best. Lance is the one to know, whether he knows what he’s talking about or not, how to go about a relationship. And Lance is really the one you should have this conversation with.”

Shiro knows she’s right. She is, most of the time. But it’s annoying in certain settings, and this is one of those settings. He wants things to just fall into place. Not have things become a complete disaster. 

“When’s loverboy coming home?” asks Matt. 

“How much’s the clock now?” he asks. 

“Seven thirteen.”

“Yeah, it’s seventeen minutes now. And I can’t stay here alone.” He looks at his two best friends with tears in his eyes. “He came home to me crying last night. And then I confessed to being in love with him. I can’t handle my own shit right now, and I don’t know what to do when he gets here.”

Allura sets down her glass of wine, and takes his hand in hers. “You have to let him talk. Lance knows best what he wants. He knows whether or not this will be something he wants to try, and he knows best if you should explore this. So just listen to him. Answer any questions he might have and―”

The door into the apartment opens. The three turn to look at Lance standing there, a grocery bag in one hand and his phone in the other. Lance stares at them, down at his phone and back up. 

“I-i…” 

Matt stands up and Allura follows quickly after. “We should go,” says Matt and Shiro has no time to react before they’re both out of the apartment and he and Lance are left alone. 

“Hi,” says Shiro. He stands up, a little awkwardly but he tries to play it casual. 

Lance puts down the grocery bag. “Hey.” He puts his phone in his pocket and knocks off his shoes before walking in. The grocery bag nearly forgotten before Lance remembers and brings it with him to put on the counter. “I thought maybe we could make some food. I got a recipe from Hunk and I got all the ingredients and I didn’t remember what we already have so I just bought everything and don’t worry about the money, dinner is on me today.”

“Okay.” Shiro nods. “What are we making?”

“It’s very simple,” says Lance and takes out the groceries. “We’re making lasagna. Hunk’s recipe, so you know it’s good as long as we don’t fuck it up.”

“Okay.” 

They don’t talk whilst making it. Lance takes the meat part and Shiro makes a thing called cheese sauce that he’s never heard of before but tries his best with. He has to get enough parmesan into thin enough slices that they melt easily and it’s a fucking mess. Seriously, it takes forever, and the counter is covered in parmesan when he’s done. And Lance, the moron, can’t stop laughing. 

“You’re no better,” say Shiro with a tiny pout. 

Lance gapes. “What? Of course I am. I’m not making a mess, am I?” 

He shakes his head. “I can help with that you know.” And the fresh basil Lance was cutting is suddenly a little all over the place. 

“What the fuck, Shiro? I was almost done.” Lance shakes his head, purses his lips in what’s supposed to be mad, but quickly goes over in a grin. 

“Well, guess I’m not the only one making a mess.” He stirs the sauce, and smiles at Lance and watches him in his peripheral vision.  

“ _ No, no, no, solo estás haciendo un lió. Y, tú eres un tonto, pero yo me gusta tí, todavía. _ ” 

Shiro stares at him. “Did you just tell me that you like me in Spanish?”

“Uhh…  _ Si? _ ” Lance shrugs. “But I didn’t say how, so not hastened conclusions, okay?” He puts his finger up as if to silence the next thing Shiro was going to say―much like his mother used to do whenever they had an argument and Shiro had never really had anything to say to begin with. 

“Okay, sure.” He goes back to stirring the sauce, Lance cuts the rest of the basil. After another little while, the lasagna is in the oven and all they have to do is wait. About half an hour, which they can use to talk, but Lance has other ideas. 

Shiro isn’t exactly surprised when Lance brings out Netflix, when he puts on a movie and lies down on the couch. But he wished Lance would talk to him, tell him what the answer would be. What to expect. 

But he watches the movie either way. When the lasagna is done, he tells Lance to keep watching and comes back with two plates of lasagna, and on another round, two glasses of red wine (one Hunk recommended before that fits with pretty much every food, and it’s cheap, so…). 

They eat in silence. The movie rolls in the background, and Shiro has no idea what’s going on. Other than the really hot dude is really overprotective of this cute little girl that actually stands up to him and doesn’t just fall at his feet. Exactly what’s going on between them, he doesn’t know, because she also is friends with his brother? and that’s where Shiro got lost. 

“I’m so confused, what are who to each other?” he asks, when he can’t take the silence. 

Lance laughs. “Okay, so Elle, the girl, is Lee’s best friend, basically twins because they were born on the exact same time. Lee’s older brother, Noah, is this bad boy player type that is really hot, and kind of overprotective of Elle, but she doesn’t understand why. Then they make a kissing booth for a carnival fundraiser and there she kisses Noah, and they kiss again, and again, and then they get together, problem is, Lee and Elle has rules, and rule number nine states that they can’t date their BFF’s relatives, meaning Elle and Noah has to keep hidden so that Lee doesn’t find out. And that’s where we are now.”

Shiro shakes his head. He got about two things from that; two people can’t be together but still are, and two people are twins but not really?

He ends up just watching Lance. How he smiles when something cute happens, how his dimples show with the smile, how his freckles come to life when his face gets a little red, how freaking beautiful he looks. God, is Lance even real? 

And then Lance turns to Shiro, this huge grin on his face, and expectant eyes as he asks, “what did you think?”

“Uhh…. good, great, okay,” he replies, making Lance laugh. 

“Good, great, okay?” asks Lance. “You didn’t watch it, did you?” 

Shiro shakes his head. 

“Not surprised, but you should have. It’s a huge cliche and not that great, but I guess that’s why I like it.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “God, that sounds so Lance.”

“Not sure if I’m supposed to say thank you, or?”

“I don’t know that either.”

“Well, then we got nothing to worry about. Other than The Talk.” Lance makes a big gestures with his hands, as if The Talk is a very huge deal, which to Shiro it is, but… he just wants Lance to give him a chance. 

“Are we having that now? Or are we still waiting?” 

“Now. I’m ready. I guess.”

“Okay, there really is only one question,” he starts, “do you want to go out with me? Dump Lotor and be with me?”

Lance doesn’t show any sign of what his answer is. The male who’s never had a good poker face, ever, has one when Shiro would like to read his face the most. He takes a deep breath, and then looks Shiro straight into the eyes. 

“I haven’t been with Lotor since Tuesday,” he says. 

“Wait, what?” 

“What you said, it got me thinking. And, well, we’ve kind of agreed on being friends, though he is a little obsessive, but… I haven’t been dating him since Tuesday. So I’ve already dumped him. Your opinion, and what Matt so unsubtly said, had be second guess everything.”

Shiro swallows the lump in his throat. “So, that means?”

“That means, yes, I’ll go on a date with you. But…” Lance pauses with a smile, “... I don’t want to tell anyone yet. I want us to keep it with us, first. Which shouldn’t be that hard, we do live together, but… I don’t really want to tell anyone. When Allura and Matt asks―I know they will―and Hunk and Keith, and Coran, and Pidge, and just name it, asks, just say that I said yes, but I want to wait. I don’t want to rush this, and I don’t want anyone to think I’m so much a player that I am with Lotor for three weeks, break up with him and then go out with you just like that.”

“As long as I can kiss you that seems more than fair to me,” replies Shiro. 

Lance smiles, laughs and nods. “Yeah, you can kiss me.”

Their lips meet slowly. A peck at first. Fire burns Shiro’s skin, his heart pounds its way through his ribcage, and something (he can’t say what) courses through his veins as the kiss deepens and Lance’s tongue is in his mouth. Fireworks explodes in Shiro’s stomach, fills him with a joy and a pain that makes him feel like he’s flying. He understands, for the first time in his life, he understands what people mean when they say it feels like only they exist. Because in that moment, that short moment, it is only the two of them. The world beyond doesn’t exist, only that moment, only lips against lips. 


End file.
